Paramedics give students incentive
'With a good education and hard work, rewards come'
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Published Friday, November 28, 2014
KITIKMEOT
Collin Goyman and Brandon Kennedy, their employer Advanced Medical Solutions Inc. (Medic North), First Air and Los Angeles Kings hockey player Mike Richards have teamed up to offer youth in the Kitikmeot the incentive to improve their attendance and performance in school over the winter months.
Collin Goyman presents his initiative to students at Kullik Ilihakvik in Cambridge Bay last week. Two hard-working and lucky students, drawn from all over the Kitikmeot, will travel to Edmonton to attend an NHL hockey game and meet LA Kings player Mike Richard as a reward for outstanding attendance and academic improvement. - photo courtesy of Brandon Kennedy
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Goyman, a resident in Cambridge Bay for two years, grew up in Nanisivik on Baffin Island and in Kenora, Ont. The critical care flight paramedic is familiar with life in a small community.
"A lot of times there aren't a lot of opportunities in these remote locations and some things can feel unachievable" he said.
"Community is extremely important and getting the kids jazzed about their education is something I'm passionate about. Last year I did an initiative with the schools and this year I wanted to turn it up a notch."
For five months he's been working on pulling it all together: Two students and one parent each will win an all-expense paid trip to Edmonton to attend a hockey game and meet player Mike Richards, who Goyman says is a friend of his with a big heart.
"Last year was predominantly based in Cambridge Bay. This year I spread it to all the schools in the Kitikmeot region," said Goyman.
Beginning Dec. 1 through to Feb. 15 - because these can be challenging months - attendance and academic improvement will be monitored.
"There's an elementary category and a high school category. Five students from each class in the Kitikmeot are going to be selected by their teachers. Those five names from each classroom will be pulled out into a draw."
A winner from each of the two categories will win the prize.
"Anything that can help the children and encourage them to stay in school, everybody working together, that's what we want. And it's regional, which is even more fabulous," Cambridge Bay district education authority (DEA) chairperson Vicki Aitaok.
Aitaok adds, "And it's not just about picking two names out of a hat. They have to maintain some standards. It has to be 95 per cent attendance or better and they have to show a good effort towards academic improvement. We're looking for children excited about improving their learning and rewarding them for trying, for their effort."
Gina Pizzo, principal at Netsilik Ilihakvik in Taloyoak, says, "Everyone loves hockey and the opportunity to go to Edmonton, see an NHL game and meet a real life NHLer is generating excitement."
She adds, "At this time of year, when it is dark and cold, attendance can start to wane so anything that encourages kids to get to school and do their best academically is a big plus. We would like to see kids
getting to school every day because of the intrinsic benefits but every once in a while a special extrinsic motivator like this Medic North event can give the students an extra boost to try even harder."
In his presentation to students in Cambridge Bay, Goyman discussed goals - what they are and how to achieve them - and how education plays into that.
"I was asking them who their heroes are and what they want to be when they grow up and some of the answers were just awesome. There's an 11-year-old who wants to be a movie director. There were wrestlers and firemen and teachers and pilots. There was a bunch, an absolute myriad of answers."
Goyman then led the discussion into "how education takes you to that point and how your heroes got to where they are."
And that's Goyman and Kennedy's ultimate message -- with a good education and hard work, rewards come.
Aitaok applauds Goyman and Kennedy and the businesses involved.
"That's really the Northern way, giving back. Sometimes people forget about it so it's really nice to see those values being continued. It definitely raises the profile of (those companies) and it's a very good positive for the communities."
Goyman will be sending a video presentation to the schools in Kugluktuk, Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak, and Kugaaruk that will be played at their assemblies to kick off the event.
