Every morning, Wally Deneault drives from his house in Kamloops a few minutes north to the Kamloops Indian Band reserve. It's not physical distance that separates these two communities in the BC Interior. "The reserve is not far from the city," says Deneault, "but it's a different world." Deneault is a teacher's aide at the reserve's Sk'elep School of Excellence, where he works with 12- and 13-year-olds who have behaviour problems. It's not always easy to get these kids excited about education - some have grown up hearing stories of how their grandparents were mistreated at the residential school. "It took a while to get their trust," says Deneault, "to let them know that what we were doing would benefit them rather than hurt them." But he has won that trust. His secret weapon is humour - with a repertoire of corny jokes and bad puns, he gets kids to let down their defences. Yet Deneault is no pushover, according to Sandra Seymour, manager of social development for the thousand-member band. He expects the students to take responsibility for the lifestyle decisions they make. And because he models good choices - he doesn't drink, smoke or use drugs - no one questions his credibility. Two nights a week, Deneault shares his passion for sports with a group of preteens and teenagers, some of whom are on probation or have been identified as high-risk. "They're crazy about floor hockey," he says, and he'll also take them swimming, bowling or to a Kamloops Blazers junior hockey game. When he spots a kid who needs a ball glove or pair of skates, Deneault is usually able to scrounge one up. By getting off the reserve, he says, the kids begin to feel comfortable in the larger community, and that opens up new opportunities. "I try to show them that anything is possible." Chosen charity: BC Children's Hospital foundation |
