A career with a cause
Noelene Nitsiza working toward becoming a nurse
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Monday, April 11, 2016
BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO
Noelene Nitsiza had her community in mind when she decided her future career.
Noelene Nitsiza, Grade 11 student at Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School in Behchoko, plans on returning to the North to work after becoming a nurse. - photo courtesy of Patti Turner |
The Grade 11 student at Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School in Behchoko said she plans on returning to the North to work after becoming a nurse.
"Around here, there aren't a lot of students who would go to college and get that extra step of schooling done to come back and actually help people," Nitsiza said.
While her fellow students are hoping to land mining jobs or find other employment in Behchoko, Nitsiza said her plan is different.
She said she believes by dedicating more time to her education, she is paving a path toward long-term employment in the future.
"Being a nurse, you could stay at that job," she said. "It's a definite job that you could have for a while and do a lot of helping out in the community."
In order to achieve her goal, Nitsiza is taking both biology and chemistry in school this year. She said they are two of her favourite classes.
"For chemistry, I like the reactions and the periodic table of elements," she said. "In biology, I like learning about body functions."
Taking on such a difficult workload doesn't leave a lot of time for extra curricular activities, but Nitsiza said she knows it will be worth it.
She said she recognizes what it will mean for communities like Behchoko when she begins working as a nurse.
"There's not really a lot of nursing up here in the North," she said. "That's something I could help out with."
Nitsiza said she doesn't know which school she would like to attend just yet, but she hopes to live in Edmonton or Calgary.
Principal Patti Turner said she knows Nitsiza will succeed no matter where she decides to get her education.
"She's very academic with a ton of potential and will be going places," Turner said.
Nitsiza said the key to schoolwork is to stay on top of assignments.
"Just keep up with your work as hard as you can," she said. "Once you fall too far behind it will get really tough to catch up."
