Erickson Owen, Poplar Hill First Nation Teen, Is Definitely Going Places | HuffPost

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Erickson Owen wanted to prove "anything is possible."

Jessica Chin— The Huffington Post Canada

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(Photo: Blue Earth Photography/Facebook)

An Ojibway teen who spent all of his spare time studying last fall has seen it pay off with perfect grades.

Erickson Owen scored a 100 per cent average in all of his Grade 12 classes at Pelican Falls First Nations High School last semester, according to CBC News.

Owen, 17, is a member of the Poplar Hill First Nation in Thunder Bay, Ont., part of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation.

“I did not go on any trips. I turned them all down because I wanted to study," he told the Sioux Lookout Bulletin. "During the nights I would be reading over my notes at least three times over. I did that every night."

'This young leader is going places'

He told CBC that he wanted to prove to other students "anything is possible."

But that's not all.

Owen also won a national competition sponsored by the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association after crafting an essay explaining how he wants to become an accountant.

Students were asked to write about themselves and their aspirations to pursue a career in finance, and what leaders should focus on to advance indigenous communities.

Owen will be one of four students presenting their essays at the AFOA's conference in Montreal on Tuesday.

"This young leader is going places," wrote Nishnawbe Aski Nation Chief Derek Fox after hearing Owen present an early version of his essay.

The teen plans to present the speech in Ojibway — his first language — according to CBC News.

Owen is slated to attend Confederation College in Thunder Bay next fall.

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Canada Comes From An Iroquois Word(01 of11)

The word Canada comes from the Iroquois word kanata meaning village, settlement or land. (credit:waferboard/Flickr)

The Many Tongues Of Canada(02 of11)

There are currently over 60 First Nations languages in Canada grouped into 12 distinct language families, according to Statistics Canada. (credit:BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives/Flickr)

Women As Leaders(03 of11)

Before European Settlers came to Canada, it was not uncommon for Aboriginal women to hold equal power to men, and even had to ability to take the power away from the chief, reports UBC. Women’s suffrage in Canada was not granted until 1918. (credit:Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, UofT/Flickr)

The Meaning Of The Headdress(04 of11)

The North American headdress was earned, each feather representing an act of bravery. (credit:BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives/Flickr)

Tribes of Canada(05 of11)

There are over 600 different tribes in Canada each with their own culture and belief system. (credit:Planet Art)

Who Was Once Here(06 of11)

The High King of France commissioned Giovanni da Verrazzano to reach Asia by sailing around North America in 1523. He described the coastline as densely populated and full of bonfire smoke, saying it could be smelt from hundreds of miles away at sea. Some academics place the American Aboriginal population at 50 million while some argue it to have been 100 million. Today’s First Nations population of Canada falls around 1.4 million. (credit:Hulton Archive via Getty Images)

Historical Allies(07 of11)

During the early days of colonization, Britain saw Aboriginal people as essential to protecting their colonies and considered them powerful allies who helped battle the French during the Seven Year War and fought off American invasion during the War of 1812. (credit:Planet Art)

The Fur Trade(08 of11)

First Nations people played a major role during the fur trade between the 17th and 19th centuries, which attracted merchants from around the world. (credit:Toronto Public Library Special Collections/Flickr)

Aboriginal Lineage(09 of11)

Archaeology tells us that aboriginal people have lived in the Maritimes provinces of Canada for at least 11,000 years. (credit:BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives/Flickr)

Reserves(10 of11)

After the decline of the fur trade and the end of the War of 1812, more settlers came to Canada, creating a large enough population to protect their own borders. First Nations were seen as impeding on economic development and were sent to live on isolated reserves, while more land was set aside to accommodate new settlers. (credit:Planet Art)

The Youngest People In Canada(11 of11)

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