Teachers honoured for years of dedication
Laura Vital, longest-serving educator celebrated, has been at Charles Yohin School in Nahanni Butte for 35 years
Jeanne Gagnon
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, October 9, 2013
TTHENAAGO/NAHANNI BUTTE
With no thought of retiring, Laura Vital has been teaching at Charles Yohin School in various capacities for 35 years in Nahanni Butte and she is still going strong.
Laura Vital, left, receives a congratulatory handshake from Terry Jaffray, the superintendent of the Dehcho Divisional Education Council in Fort Simpson on Oct. 3. Vital was recognized for her 35 years of teaching at Charles Yohin School in Nahanni Butte. - Jeanne Gagnon/NNSL photo
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Vital received a long-time service award for her 35 years of dedication during the fall gathering of the region's educators in Fort Simpson from Oct. 2 to 4.
A native of Nahanni Butte, Vital started working at the school in 1978 as a classroom assistant before becoming the aboriginal language instructor, a position she holds to this day. She said she has noticed students today speak more English and less the aboriginal language of South Slavey than three decades ago. But she added the biggest change she's has seen is technology.
"I was born there and I don't ever want to leave. I like teaching the children," said Vital. "I thought of retiring, but no."
The first 35 years were great, she added, never thinking she would teach that long when she started. To any new teacher, her advice is to be positive as much as possible.
School principal Jeff Planetta said Vital has been there longer than he has.
"Laura has been a wonderful to have around," he said. "Very, very knowledgeable to help me, as a teaching principal, to do my job very well in many, many ways."
Vital was one of 14 school staff who received long-service awards in Fort Simpson on Oct. 3, representing a total of 180 years of dedicated service.
Among the teachers and special needs assistants under the Dehcho Divisional Education Council, superintendent Terry Jaffray said 10 of them, or one in eight, have worked more than 30 years.
In a community, it's rare to have someone there for 35 years, but when you have a teacher in a school for a long time, Jaffray added, they do develop a strong rapport with the students. Because of that, the students trust them, work hard for them, are willing to try new things in learning because they trust the teacher will help them and knows what's best for them.
"In Laura's particular case, being from Nahanni Butte, she speaks the language, she knows the families, she knows the traditions of the community, so she's a tremendous support to the non-native teachers that come to the community," said Jaffray. "She is a liaison for them and helps them to get to know people and to make sure they come out to community events there and just support what they are doing in schools. Longevity in school is really important."
