ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD - Reed Smith arrived in Fort Liard on Aug. 17 to get ready for his job as the new principal of Echo Dene School, after a life of different careers and travel around Canada.

Reed Smith is the new principal of Echo Dene School in Fort Liard. After changing careers from heavy duty equipment mechanic to educator, Smith, pictured here last week in the gym of his new school, has worked in a large variety of Canadian indigenous communities throughout his two decade career in education. - photo courtesy of Reed Smith

"I've had quite a different route to my position," said Smith.

"I first came up North as a teenager. I was working with an exploration company. I spent the summer between my Grade 11 and Grade 12 years working out on the land near Hall Beach in Nunavut."

After high school, Smith, who grew up on a farm in southern Alberta, apprenticed as a heavy duty equipment mechanic with an oil company in Alberta.

After six years of that job, he was done.

"I didn't care for that job," said Smith.

"I realized when I was working on that job that I was more suited to working with people than machines," he continued.

After that heavy realization, Smith entered the education program at the University of Alberta and graduated with his bachelors of education in 1988. Smith also did a minor in intercultural education with a focus on First Nations peoples.

"I spent the next three years working in Ontario in isolated reservations, up in the bush," said Smith.

He then taught on reservations on the west coast of Vancouver Island, until he got his first job as principal in northern Alberta. From there, Smith went to Chesterfield Inlet in Nunavut where he was principal for two years before working in Deline, and then, finally, in Fort Liard.

He has no plans to leave anytime soon.

"I love it. The setting is so beautiful. We've got a wonderful school here," said Smith.

Smith was friends with former Acho Dene School principal Victor Dikaitis.

"I heard that (Dikaitis) was leaving and he told me lots of good things about Fort Liard, so I thought oh, I'll come here," said Smith.

Smith has no regrets.

"We're into our third week with students and I think we've got some wonderful students here," said Smith.

On his spare time, Smith said his interests are "a lot different than you'd think a heavy duty mechanic would have."

Smith enjoys classical music and watching ballet, as well as reading 19th-century British authors such as Thomas Hardy and Charles Dickens, and poetry.

He does have a few more mainstream interests, though.

"I'm a fan of CFL football, and I'm also a fan of Major League Baseball," said Smith, whose favourite football team is the Calgary Stampeders, and baseball team is the Atlanta Braves.

Smith said he's shy and likes to work in the background, but he's excited for his new job and to be in the community of Fort Liard.