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DEH CHO
An interest in the welfare of aboriginal communities has brought Amy Thomas from the desert of central Australia to the boreal forest of Fort Liard.

Cora Saunders is working as a volunteer at Bompas Elementary School in Fort Simpson. Four other volunteers are in the Deh Cho working for the Frontiers Foundation's Operation Beaver program to help students with reading, math and recreational activities. - Jeanne Gagnon/NNSL photo

Thomas is one of five volunteers, along with Cora Saunders in Fort Simpson, Greg Doak and Julie Latremouille in Fort Providence, and Scott Luksys in Nahanni Butte, working in Deh Cho communities tutoring students and participating in recreational activities.

The Frontiers Foundation, an Ontario-based, non-profit organization, works with aboriginal communities to improve education. The foundation administers the Northern Education Program, which sends Operation Beaver volunteers to schools in the three Canadian territories, helping students through tutoring and training.

Kelley Andrews-Klein, principal at Bompas Elementary School, said having a volunteer in the school allows them to offer extra assistance to all students.

"This assistance promotes student success and, in the past, students have responded very well to the help offered," she said.

The 27-year-old Thomas has been working with the school-aged children on recreational and after-school activities, going on soccer tournaments with them and keeping them active. She arrived in Fort Liard from Alice Springs, Australia, in late August. A desire to work and travel overseas, to work with aboriginal people and to volunteer is what brought her to the Northwest Territories, she said.

"I just got interested in the welfare of aboriginal people back home, and also around the world," said Thomas, adding she wants a better understanding of life in remote areas.

It has only been a couple of weeks, but Thomas said the opportunity has been going well so far.

"Everyone has been really friendly and really welcoming," she said.

Deh Gah School in Fort Providence has two volunteers, Doak and Latremouille.

Doak, who has a background in computers, arrived from Glasgow, Scotland, in mid-August to help the students. Fellow volunteer Latremouille, originally from Ottawa, joined him in September, arriving from Malaysia where she was teaching.

"I was teaching English as a second language in Malaysia for a non-profit, and I liked doing that. That has more of a social work aspect to it, where you can help instead of just teaching," said Latremouille. "I saw this opportunity up in Canada and there is something to

be said about helping out at home."

She has done individual reading with the students, tutoring them and doing math problems.

"I've always been interested in other cultures so it's very interesting for me to be up here. I'm interested in the small community life and respect for elders and respect for the land," she said.

"I think I can bring a lot to special needs kids, and be a good role model for them. I am hoping I can help them enjoy school, help them with their reading skills just to feel like I'm helping out."

Saunders, who is volunteering at Bompas Elementary School in Fort Simpson, has tutored for literacy and taught with the military. Saunders is originally from Stephenville, N.L.

"I am hoping to help with the language department, like reading and tutoring and that sort of thing," she said.

"It's an excellent opportunity for myself and, hopefully, I can bring something here and help some of the kids."

Heading southwest, Luksys is volunteering at Charles Yohin School in Nahanni Butte, working as a teacher assistant during the day and doing activities at the gym or at the school, from sporting events to movie night, in the evenings. He arrived in the community on Aug. 20.

"It's going pretty good actually," said Luksys. "It's an extreme challenge but I am always up for challenges myself. It took a little while to get the kids to do the sporting events and everything, but I got them doing fun things at night."

The five volunteers will be spending the next 10 months lending a helping hand to the Deh Cho schools.

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