Hay River Reserve (Mar 14/05) - This is the 10th year Nancy LaFleur has been the teacher/co-ordinator of the Hay River Reserve Aboriginal Head Start Program.

"I thought I'd try it for a number of years," she recalls about why she took the position in 1996.

LaFleur loves working with the three and four year olds.

"They're so small and you have to gain their trust," she explains. "And when you gain that trust, it's so obvious. It's like being a mom away from home."

In the last decade, she says almost 400 children have gone through the program, which is housed in the Chief Sunrise Education Centre.

Currently, there are 26 three and four year olds attending from the reserve and the town of Hay River.

There are two classes of four year olds, who attend three half-days a week. One class of three year olds attend two half-days a week.

Getting ready for school

One of the program's main goals is to prepare the children for kindergarten.

"It's just getting them academically and socially ready for school," LaFleur explains.

The program, which is funded by Health Canada, also teaches the basics of the South Slavey language and passes on Dene traditions.

LaFleur says the children are enthusiastic about learning Dene traditions and the language.

"They're proud of it," she says, noting many children go home and tell their parents what they're learning.

LaFleur studied at the three-year teacher education program in Fort Smith, and is a couple of courses short of a diploma.

She intends to eventually go back to complete the course.

She is also a qualified interpreter/translator.

LaFleur, 45, is originally from Fort Providence, but has lived in Hay River for 28 years.

She has five children of her own, ranging in age from 16 to 26.