HOPEDALE, N.L. — Nicholas Flowers, an exceptional 17-year-old from Hopedale, was recently announced as one of five young people from across the country to be awarded a $25,000 scholarship as a STEAM Horizon Award winner.
The award, presented by Ingenium, is for a student who will be studying one of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) disciplines in the fall. Flowers is planning on attending Memorial University’s Grenfell campus to study Environmental Sciences and then returning to coastal Labrador to work on things like renewable energy and sustainability in Nunatsiavut.
Flowers took part in Students on Ice in 2019, an annual arctic expedition that helps connect students with the issues at play in the north and also co-presented at the 21st Inuit Studies Conference about archaeology experiences he had in Hopedale.
He said he’s always had an interest in the sciences and the arts, with his Inuit heritage helping shape the latter. Flowers says his grandmother always taught him the importance of sewing and traditional Inuit crafts and he and his sisters have held workshops on the techniques and importance of craftwork to their heritage, with plans for more in the future.
"That’s the glorious thing about STEAM, it’s not only about sciences. Technology is so important but it’s also about crafts and the arts. STEAM touches on a variety of topics and not only will it help me in the sciences but help promote Inuit culture," Flowers told the Telegram.
1. What is your full name?
Nicholas Rueben Eric Flowers.
2. Where and when were you born?
I was born in Grand Falls-Windsor.
3. Where do you live today?
Hopedale, Nunatsiavut, where I grew up and live today.
4. What’s your favourite place in the world?
At the cabin. I’ve always enjoyed going with my family and friends.
5. Who do you follow on social media?
Various groups, different types of Indigenous and Inuit artists
6. What would people be surprised to learn about you?
My high school friends and I will be presenting at the 9th world archeologocial conference in Prague about the importance of self-identity in archeology, based on our experiences in the last couple of years.
7. What’s been your favourite year and why?
This past year. There have been so many opportunities I had in high school with friends and family. I got to travel to British Columbia for the Canadian Student Leadership Conference and I also traveled to Montreal as part of the Inuit Studies conference and I’ve also been involved in other extra-curricular travel.
8. What is the hardest thing you’ve ever done?
Final exams when I was in junior high. I remember one was really hard and I felt so good when it was done.
9. Can you describe one experience that changed your life?
Last fall my grandmother passed away. I knew from that moment that the things she taught me and my sisters, my family, I would do my best to teach the future generations in my community and in Labrador. It changed my life in a powerful way.
10. What’s your greatest indulgence?
Nature. I really love nature. I always loved being on the land, going out hunting and fishing with my family and I think that spending time in nature is a great way to heal and connect.
11. What is your favourite movie or book?
"Alone in the Wilderness" is the movie, the book is called "One Man’s Wilderness." It’s a story about a man named Richard Proenneke and he lived in Alaska for over 30 years and carved out a beautiful life.
12. How do you like to relax?
I really like to relax by working at different types of crafts, including working at fishing nets, such as salmon nets. I like making the weaves and I’ve been working on nets for capelin. Crafts such as this and sewing traditional Inuit crafts like sealskin and making snowshoes. It’s a great way to relax and practice your culture at the same time.
13. What are you reading or watching right now?
I really like TV shows like "The Nature of Things" and nature documentaries.
14. What is your greatest fear?
Losing something important such as your culture. I think my greatest fear is that if our culture was ever lost and the death of our traditional practices.
15. How would you describe your personal fashion statement?
In the winter I like to wear things crafted by hand, like sealskin mitts and boots. It helps me reflect on the things me and my sisters have learned about our heritage.
16. What is your most treasured possession?
The sealskin boots my grandmother taught me to make a year ago. They teach the importance of keeping our culture alive.
17. What physical or personality trait are you most grateful to a parent for?
I’ve always been told that I’m kind and I think that’s something I learned, that when you shows kindness to others you show a sense of community and engagement.
18. What three people would join you for your dream dinner party?
My two sisters and probably one of my high school friends.
19. What is your best quality, and what is your worst quality?
I think being patient in many things is my best quality, in anything I choose to do I try my best to be patient. My worst quality is maybe sometimes I tend to overthink things a little. If I’m worried about something I tend to overthink it.
20. What’s your biggest regret?
Growing up, there were times I didn’t have any interest in taking part in certain things and now looking back on it I realized I should have taken part in everything because as I went through high school and took on this new mindset, it gave me a lot more opportunities.
