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TETLIT'ZHEH/FORT MCPHERSON
Students at Chief Julius School in Fort McPherson are learning what it takes to achieve goals, have healthy relationships and cope with difficult situations.

Staff at Chief Julius School in Fort McPherson put on a rap show for students after they reached and surpassed their goal of raising $2,000 for the Terry Fox Run. Participants included, from left, Janine Fryer, Jennifer Thompson, Kyla Ross, Leo Foley, Sonia Gregory, Brandie Hehn, Jolene Ross, Cliff Gregory, Lisa Hill, Terry Davidson and Dawit Tsehaye. - photo courtesy of Jolene Ross

The Leadership and Resiliency Program, which also runs in Aklavik, Ndilo and Hay River, is now in its second year in Fort McPherson. All Grade 6 to 9 students, as well as approximately 20 of 30 high school students, take part in the class.

The course has three parts – in-class group sessions, adventures and volunteerism – that teach participants life skills, empower them to become involved in their community and arm them with the tools to avoid substance abuse and violence.

Team leader Jolene Ross, who has run the class since it started in September 2010, said she has seen a huge change in students.

"This program is made for at-risk youth and I really feel like living in a small community like ours, each student is at risk," she said. "Compared to last year, our students have come a long way. They're a little more outgoing and a little more willing to take the lead."

The program in Fort McPherson is unique in that it is culture- and tradition-based. In addition to fundraising for a trip to Whitehorse to go horseback riding, rock climbing, zip-lining and whitewater rafting, students participate in monthly local 'adventures' like hunting, jiggling and on-the-land picnics.

They also volunteer monthly, cooking food for elders, doing community clean-ups and helping younger students with school projects. Last year they raised more than $2,000 for the Terry Fox Run.

Dustin Neyando, a Grade 11 student at Chief Julius School, started taking part in the program last year and said he likes how much responsibility students are given.

"You get to do whatever you want to," he said. "You get to do more stuff. You're just helping out in everything you do."

One highlight for him was visiting elders at long-term care in Inuvik Regional Hospital. Another was successfully fundraising enough money with the class for an outdoor adventure trip to Whitehorse.

Ross said a huge part of the program, daily in-class discussion groups, teach students resiliency and give them a forum to share their thoughts and feelings. In addition to group discussions, students meditate, make art projects and write in journals.

"They learn to deal with issues as they come up on their own, so that they have the skills to live a healthy, happy life on their own. So they can bounce back from anything," she said.

Ross, who grew up in Fort McPherson, knows first-hand the challenges such as addiction, low self-esteem and a lack of facilities that youth in small communities can face.

"We become a group in this class and we work through things together and we learn to use peer support and adult support," she said.

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