Steve Bletas

It is my vivid recollection of the way my teacher made me and some other kids like me feel so welcome. We were coming from another country, didn't speak the language, and we were hesitant, to say the least. But this truly special person touched my heart very deeply with her care, consideration, and concern not only for me but for many others like me in the class.

I have many, but a few in particular come to mind. The first, is the memory of the first day of school I have already mentioned, the second is the many significant events I experienced as an adult in participating in school committees and orientation committees of the schools my children Eva-Marie and Michael attended, the third is the great satisfaction of meeting the challenge of serving as a parent commissioner, and the fourth and probably the best is my involvement in high-school handball as coach, manager, and parent, traveling to many places in Quebec and elsewhere and helping young people not only win games and medals but also grow through their involvement in a sport and social activity which in many constructive ways prepared them for the countless demands of life.

It meant opportunity! To make new friends, to learn new things, and to try new activities. I loved summer, but I also was anxious to get back to school, a place I enjoyed going to, a corner of the neighbourhood and community where I could be myself, share with others, and develop friendships with the peers around me. And to this day, I still think that way about the annual ritual of the first day back to school, being fortunate enough to be directly involved in education as the Chairman of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, a privilege I hold dear to my heart and which reflects the life-long commitment I have to helping children prepare for adulthood with the help of the learning skills they acquire in school.

Photo:Steve

(Photo: Martin Alarie)