Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

TSIIGEHTCHIC/ARCTIC RED RIVER
Thomas Norbert says listening to his father's advice helped him to stay on track during classes this year at Chief Paul Niditchie School in Tsiigehtchic.

Thomas Norbert, a Grade 4 student at Chief Paul Niditchie School in Tsiigehtchic, looks at water for traces of gold during a class trip to Dawson City, Yukon, on June 18. - photo courtesy of Darcy Douglas

"My dad always told me that I have to do hard work," Norbert said. "I liked doing homework."

The Grade 4 student was one of the most enthusiastic students in the school this year, said his teacher, Aleksandra Waliszewska.

Norbert always came prepared to work hard and rarely missed a class, she said.

"He has always been excellent and he's usually at the top of the whole school for attendance," she said. "He attends every day with a really good attitude. He gets his sleep."

Norbert said he enjoyed social studies and math this year - the more challenging the better.

"I like doing hard math," he said.

Waliszewska said Norbert's fondness for the subject was reflected in his grades.

"He's been a superstar in math," she said.

Norbert said reading stories about Dene legends were his favourite part of social studies class this year.

"Social studies was the best because we read books about social studies, like our culture and being out on the land," Norbert said. "(One story) talked about medicine power and one boy had medicine power and he talked to animals."

Norbert said reading and learning about legends taught him the importance of sharing. He said for example, one story illustrated the importance of sharing the hunt with other animals.

"If you hunt a caribou, you have to use half of the body then all the other animals will eat the other half of the body and then you have good luck," he said.

Norbert said he also loved spending time outside learning about traditional skills and activities.

"I learned about how to make a house out on the land with sticks and all that," he said. "You put a big stick on top and keep putting it on the sides."

Students also got to watch as teachers built fires to boil water for tea, which they

all enjoyed together.

"It was pretty hard to do it because there is lots of wind," he said.

Waliszewska said Norbert also went above and beyond the classroom curriculum and requested additional homework throughout the school year.

"He's the one who is always asking for more school work," she said. "He reads regularly for fun and he took four books home for summer reading."

In addition to his class work, Norbert was also active in extra-curricular activities, Waliszewska said. He participated in the school's board game nights, the art club and went to this year's Northern Games/Dene Games competition in Inuvik.

"On top of school work, he's also involved in anything that comes along," she said.

Norbert also joined classmates on a trip to Dawson City, Yukon from June 17 to June 19.

Norbert said the group went to stores and stayed in a hotel with a pool, which was one of the highlights of the journey.

"I liked going swimming," he said.

The group also got to see an old paddleboat that once travelled up and down the Yukon River.

"I learned about the ships when they used to work in the (river)," Norbert said.

Waliszewska said she believes Norbert's positive attitude and strong work ethic will serve him well as he progresses through school.

"He's not afraid of a challenge," she said.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.