WINNIPEG — Parker Ledoux never imagined spending the last month of her Grade 12 school year cooped up in a Winnipeg hotel room far from her home.
But when an out-of-control wildfire encroached on Creighton, Sask., at the end of last month and forced its some 1,200 people to flee, that's exactly what happened.
With graduation celebrations supposed to take place next week and community members still displaced, Ledoux is not sure what the quintessential teenage experience will look like for her and her classmates.
The Winnipeg School Division recognized the uncertainty high school evacuees may be facing and opened up its own ceremony honouring Indigenous graduates to students forced out of their homes by the wildfires.
"I am so grateful to be here today," said Ledoux, a Red River Métis citizen.
"Just the opportunity to do something ... I'm grateful that they thought of us evacuees."
The school division was to host its annual outdoor powwow last week, but had to postpone it due to wildfire smoke from the north impacting air quality in the province's capital.
The division decided to host a smaller, scaled-back version Monday with a grand entry, drumming and singing honour songs and speeches.
Officials saw the new event as an opportunity to also recognize the resilience, dedication and achievements of students beyond the school division.
"Welcoming these evacuated students is our way of honouring their hard work, extending our community and showing them that we care," said Rob Riel, assistant superintendent of Indigenous Education, in a statement.
After Creighton residents were ordered to leave, classes at the local high school were cancelled.
Ledoux is hoping for a postponed graduation ceremony for her and her 40 some classmates. The 17-year-old was named valedictorian and was looking forward to reading the speech she prepared three months ago.
"It's something you look forward to growing up," she said. "You (make) it to Grade 12, and then last month of school, and all of the sudden, everyone had to go."
The teen considers herself one of the lucky ones. Some of her classmates who live in nearby Denare Beach lost their homes when the blaze ripped through the small village.
Infernos in northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba forced tens of thousands from their homes. Recent rain and cooler temperatures have allowed some to return.
In Manitoba, the roughly 2,300 people who call Tataskweyak Cree Nation home are still displaced.
Keanu Kirkness, 18, has been staying with relatives in Winnipeg for two weeks.
Graduation celebrations are scheduled to take place at the end of the month. Whether that happens remains to be seen.
"We were just going to do it in our school gym," said Kirkness. "I don't think we're going to do that."
Kirkness's principal encouraged him and some of his classmates to attend Monday's event on the chance that they can share their stories with other graduates.
Coming from an isolated, close-knit community, Kirkness said he finds the city and large-scale events crowded but a good opportunity to meet new people.
"I'm feeling alright knowing that I can try to talk to somebody — just to try to get out of my bubble."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025.
Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press
