By: Nicole Goldsworthy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SaskToday.ca
HUMBOLDT — The Northern Lights Movement for Kids (NLMFK) was born from the legacy of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and its 94 Calls to Action, released in 2015 following the Indian Residential School Agreement.
One of those calls — Section 63(iii) — urges Canada’s education ministers to maintain an annual commitment to Indigenous education, including building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy and mutual respect.
For founder, Céleste Leray-Leicht, those words carried urgency.
In the years following the TRC report, Saskatchewan continued to experience profound challenges, including the 2016 tragedy in La Loche and an ongoing youth suicide crisis. In 2018, Leray-Leicht’s personal call to action deepened when her son, Jacob Leicht, was among the 16 people killed in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash.
In the days following Jacob’s death, the Northern Lights Movement for Kids took shape.
The initiative is designed to bring Indigenous and primarily non-Indigenous youth together to build relationships, connect across communities and serve others.
Early efforts began in February 2018 with pen pal relationships between students at Ducharme Elementary School in Humboldt and Dene High School in La Loche. Those connections grew in 2019 when students met in person at the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Student Leadership Conference. Since then, NLMFK has expanded to include youth from across the Prairie provinces through a variety of shared events.
At the heart of the movement is Jacob Paul Benjamin Leicht.
Born Feb. 14, 1999, in Humboldt, Jacob was known as a cheerful, active and bright “Valentine baby.” The eldest of four, he shared close bonds with siblings Isaac, Kiana and Karysa, played hockey, teased and laughed often, and was fiercely protective of his family. His life continues to inspire the movement’s focus on connection, compassion and hope.
One of NLMFK’s flagship initiatives is the Great Prairie Race, a virtual challenge that encourages youth to learn about one another’s communities while being physically active.
Participants choose how they move — walking, running, wheeling, skating, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing — and track their distance collectively as a group.
In 2024, 20 schools participated, logging a combined 9,138 kilometres. In 2025, the initiative grew to 33 schools across the Prairies, with more than 2,600 students covering a total of 36,411 kilometres.
The 2026 Great Prairie Race invites even more communities to join.
Classes can register for free, map out a one-kilometre route in their school or community, track their distance and submit totals by Feb. 28. Participating schools will meet virtually at the start of the challenge on Feb. 3 and again at the conclusion on March 3.
Students are also encouraged to send handmade Valentines to youth centres, hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes or other participating schools, reinforcing the movement’s focus on service and kindness.
Each school will select two student representatives to share about their community during the final virtual meeting.
Teachers who register their class, submit distances and share evidence of sending Valentines on NLMFK social media will be entered for a chance to win $111 toward a class party.
Organizers say the Great Prairie Race offers youth an opportunity to be active, meet new friends and learn from one another — one step, wheel or stride at a time.
Registration details are available through the Northern Lights Movement for Kids.