Two students from the Cariboo Chilcotin can hardly wait to meet hometown hero Carey Price in Montreal next week.

Marie Sharpe elementary student Jayden Fuller-Bouwman, 11, and Anahim Lake elementary/junior secondary student Annika Elkins, 11, are both headed on an all-expense-paid trip to meet the NHL all-star, take in a Montreal Canadiens game, visit the team鈥檚 practice facility for a one-on-one skate with Price and to do some sightseeing in Montreal during their downtime.

The opportunity comes on behalf of the Breakfast Club of Canada and Air Canada鈥檚 Shooting for the Stars program, and Price, who is the BCC鈥檚 national ambassador for First Nations, M茅tis and Inuit populations in Canada.

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The Breakfast Club helps provide nutritious breakfasts in schools across Canada to students who might not otherwise start their day with the vital meal.

Both Marie Sharpe and Anahim Lake elementary schools participate in the Breakfast Club program and were asked to nominate three students each for the trip. From there, Jayden and Annika were selected for the honour.

And both children chosen couldn鈥檛 be more excited.

鈥淚 already have my stuff packed and it鈥檚 in the kitchen waiting to go,鈥� Jayden said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 [Carey鈥檚] like the best goalie ever, so I was pretty surprised when I found out. You should鈥檝e seen my face. It was beet red. I couldn鈥檛 believe it. I still can鈥檛 believe it.鈥�

Annika, meanwhile, who鈥檚 growing up in the same remote community Price did, said it鈥檚 an honour to be afforded the opportunity.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited and grateful,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 an idol here and a positive role model.鈥�

Annika and Jayden will share a box seat with BCC representatives and Price鈥檚 wife, Angela, on Jan. 23 when Price and the Canadiens host the Colorado Avalanche at the Bell Centre. They both said the thing they鈥檙e looking forward to most, however, is meeting Price in person at the Canadiens鈥� training facility.

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鈥淚鈥檝e got a few questions [I want to ask him],鈥� Annika said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to ask him about his most competitive rival.鈥�

Jayden added he can鈥檛 wait to skate with Price.

鈥淚t鈥檇 be so awesome to score a goal, too,鈥� he said.

Marie Sharpe principal Calvin Dubray and Anahim Lake principal Dylan Walsh both agreed the two selected students are deserving of the trip.

Dubray said Jayden is a great school ambassador and has helped out with the BCC program at the school, works hard in class and participates in many school activities.

鈥淛ayden鈥檚 a deserving young man to go so it鈥檚 nice he gets to do this,鈥� Dubray said.

Walsh added he was happy to hear the news Annika was selected.

鈥淎s her principal and teacher I was satisfied that someone who was very deserving was awarded the trip,鈥� Walsh said.

The students are schedule to spend five days in Montreal for the trip.

sports@wltribune.com
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