Q: Tell us a bit about yourself.  

My name is Akemi Voytilla. I’m Gwich’in and a mix of a bunch of other stuff. I am a grade 10 student attending Ecole St. Patrick High School and I’ve lived in Yellowknife—located in Chief Drygeese territory and the capital of the Northwest Territories—my entire life. It’s cold here. Being involved in the community and school is a priority of mine. I am the vice president of the Interact Club, I was recently elected as the grade 11 representative for next year on the student council, and I’m a member of the Book Club and the Best Buddies Club. After a year and a half of fundraising and a semester of additional classes, I went on a trip to Europe with the Battlefields Club a couple of months ago. I enjoy reading, knitting, baking, playing video games, and, when in a new city, walking around and exploring foreign places. 

Q: Why do you want to participate in the Shad program/What are you most looking forward to?  

Initially, I became interested in the Shad program because of my teacher, Ms. Ballhorn, and her positive experience with the Shad program. Then I did my own research on the program. Opportunities like Shad are limited here, and it sounded like fun meeting like-minded students, getting an introduction to university life, enjoying an array of activities, and having the chance to be independent of my family for a month. 

Q: What motivates or sparks your curiosity in STEAM and/or entrepreneurship?  

STEAM sparks my curiosity because there are so many career paths it can lead to. It has the ability to combat real-life issues in a variety of ways, and fuels modern advancement of society in fields like AI, climate solutions, renewable energy, space exploration, and medical breakthroughs. 

Q: How do you envision your future? 

While I have not yet definitively decided on a career path, I envision myself living a pleasant, relaxed life in a nice condo with no pets of my own, but with friends who have pets. I think I’ve had a sufficient number of dogs in my lifetime. My primary objective is to have enough money to be comfortable and to afford trips from time to time. I plan to make Japan my next major travel destination. I’ve always wanted to go, but the plane tickets are too expensive, so with enough hard work, I hope to achieve my goal.