First Nations teen with perfect grades says 'anything is possible'
Erickson Owen, who aims to be an accountant, to speak at financial officers' national conference in Montreal
Erickson Owen is literally a perfect student.
The student at Pelican Falls First Nations High School, near Sioux Lookout, Ont., earned a 100 per cent average in his Grade 12 classes last semester.
"I wanted to prove to the students that anything is possible," the 17-year-old from Poplar Hill First Nation said of the reason he spent all his spare time studying last fall.
"I sacrificed my time in the evening, I had to. I read my notes over at least three times per night."
On Tuesday, Owen will address a national conference of the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association in Montreal.
He earned that opportunity after writing an award-winning essay explaining his goal of becoming an accountant.
Owen said he'll give part of the speech in his first language — Ojibway.
Asked if he'll be maintaining his 100 per cent average for his final semester of high school, Owen said, "no, I wish to relax. It was stressful trying to keep my marks up that high. [There was] lots of hard work."
Owen said he has plans to attend Confederation College in Thunder Bay next fall.