DEH CHO - A group of seven yellow canoes is bobbing somewhere along the Mackenzie River past Willowlake River.

Eleven youth including six from Fort Providence and four from Deline are paddling the canoes as part of the Mackenzie Youth Leadership Trip.

Members of the Mackenzie Youth Leadership trip pose in front of their canoe on the banks of the Mackenzie River at Fort Simpson before starting their paddle to Tulita. Participants include, back row, from left: Adeline Landry, Luke Kenny, Jason Serrano, Mike Mitchell, Preston Craig Sabourin, Rocky Gargan, Carlos Bernard and Clover Ardern; front row: Bryanna Modeste, Shelby Nadli, Brittney Nadli, Malcolm Benago, Patti-Kay Hamilton and Leroy Landry. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Now in its third year, the program is taking the teenagers on a journey between Fort Simpson and Tulita.

The program, organized by the NWT Recreation and Parks Association, is designed as a learning experience and a way to build leadership skills, said Mike Mitchell, one of the instructors on the trip.

"It's meant to support kids learning in a number of ways," said Mitchell

The participants will learn hard skills like paddling while also learning how to challenge themselves, set goals and overcome adversity.

"There's lots of adversity in a trip like this," he said.

Every day the participants have to work together both in the canoes and on land at the nightly campsites. This year's trip is challenging youth from two different communities to bond together as a team.

"I like the idea of supporting inter-community exchange," said Mitchell.

Building a network of youth from different communities will strengthen the next generation of leaders, he said. The first two trips were made up of youth from only one community, first Fort Simpson and then Tulita.

Before getting into their canoes in Fort Simpson on June 16 some of the youth talked about their expectations.

"I'm excited about it," said Preston Craig Sabourin.

"I've never been to Tulita."

This is the longest canoe trip that Sabourin, a 17-year-old from Fort Providence, has ever taken. Sabourin said he was looking forward to meeting new people, exploring and having fun.

"Hopefully we'll see wild animals," he said.

Despite his excitement, Sabourin said he was expecting to meet some challenges caused by rapids, rocks and rain.

Bryanna Modeste from Deline said she applied for the trip at the urging of a teacher. "I thought it would be a great experience on the land," said Modeste, 15.

Wildlife and trees were among the things Modeste was looking forward to seeing.

"We're going to get wet and cold. We'll learn how to set up camp and make fires and things like that," she said.

Despite the fact that the trip hadn't started yet, Modeste said she was also looking forward to "finally getting home."

The teenagers, along with three adult participants, were scheduled to spend Aboriginal Day at Willowlake River and reach Tulita on July 1 just in time to celebrate Canada Day.