Fort Resolution (June 30/03) - For the last five years, Henry Mandeville has been upgrading his literacy and other skills at the Deninu K'ue Community Learning Centre.

And the 41-year-old says he has seen noticeable improvements.

"I found myself gradually improving my writing with good help from my instructors," he says, noting his literacy skills were poor when he started to upgrade.

In the beginning, he says he didn't know anything about computers. "Now I know quite a bit about them."

When he was a teenager, Mandeville finished Grade 8 and did not resume his education for about 20 years.

"I thought I'd make a change and go back to school," he explains. "So far, it's been great."

However, he admits it was sort of unusual to go back to school at age 36, but recalls he needed help with reading, grammar, writing and math. "It was my mistake I didn't finish high school. I figured that I'd gain something back that I lost."

The impetus to go back to school was when the sawmill where he used to work shut down. Since then, he has worked a number of part-time and short-term jobs in the community.

Now, he figures he needs one more year to polish up on his skills and would like to get into a fine arts program. He has already proved his artistic flair by illustrating a couple of booklets containing the winning entries of community writing contests. Mandeville himself had a poem published in one of the booklets.

The single parent of a 13-year-old son now has a positive outlook for the future. "I have good thoughts about life and what to expect up ahead."

Mandeville's efforts at self-improvement have not gone unnoticed. Recently, he was named one of three winners of the Ministerial Literacy Awards from Jake Ootes, the minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Mandeville says he was very happy to receive the honour. "It's the first time I ever won an award like this."

The annual awards honour individuals or organizations demonstrating an outstanding commitment to improve personal levels of literacy or working to promote literacy in their communities.

Mandeville was honoured not only for his efforts to improve his own literacy, but also for his community involvement. For instance, he started a Junior Canadian Rangers program in Fort Resolution.

And he stresses the importance of education to young people.

"I tell them they should be in school if they're running around. It's there for them. Teachers are there to help them."

Mandeville officially received the Ministerial Literacy Award in Yellowknife on June 17.