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2016 Annual Report News Items » Order of Canada recipient makes strong impression on students throughout the Algoma District School Board

Order of Canada recipient makes strong impression on students throughout the Algoma District School Board

David Bouchard is an award-winning author, an inspiring educator, and a friend of the Algoma District School Board. In October (2016) he spent five days visiting ADSB schools in Blind River, Desbarats, Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie, delivering messages through music and storytelling about the importance of reconciliation and literacy. The response from students and staff alike was overwhelmingly positive.
 
Fluent in English and French, David’s first afternoon was spent at FH Clergue where he met a group of Grade 4 French Immersion students who recently wrote and published a book as a tribute to a student who passed away from cancer. He spent the morning at WC Eaket Secondary in Blind River presenting to well over 220 students from Blind River, Elliot Lake, Serpent River First Nation and Mississauga First Nation.
 
David teaches valuable lessons about the importance of reading and encourages his audiences that anyone can become a reader. David also speaks passionately about indigenous culture, the importance of reconciliation and understanding the history of residential schools in our country.
 
From the perspective of a father, an author, an aboriginal person and an educator, David teaches the importance of having access to reading. “Reading is a passport to freedom. It increases self-esteem and is essential to success in school, university and in life thereafter. Anyone can become a reader by allowing himself or herself to get hooked on one book. It is every person’s responsibility to find that one book.”
 
His message was clear about residential schools, treaties and reconciliation. He urged all students to find out all they could about issues impacting our indigenous communities.
David also spoke openly about being a father to a son who did not enjoy school and to a daughter who deals with mental-health challenges. These topics resonated with many students. In total David spoke to over two thousand students in the five days he visited schools in the Algoma District School Board. In addition, a well-attended session for parents and families was also held in partnership with the Sault Ste. Marie Indigenous Friendship Centre.