Lakehead alum receives the Prime Minister’s Award

Congratulations to Lakehead alum Greg Chomut, (BABEd I/S History) a teacher at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School who recently received an award from the Prime Minister.

Greg has built bridges between his students and the wider community through innovative classroom and extracurricular activities. He regularly invites at-risk youths to live with his family as they finish their education. All of the students who have lived with him have graduated.

He also co-founded the Wake the Giant Music Festival, where students perform alongside Indigenous and non-Indigenous acts, such as Wolf Saga and Metric, in what is one of Thunder Bay's largest festivals, designed to boost inclusivity and cross-cultural understanding.

Greg has reached out to around 300 local businesses and organizations to display decals noting they are inclusive spaces for Indigenous youth. A student said one of these decals made him more comfortable entering a counsellor's office. Greg also organizes field trips to local businesses for hands-on activities, such as making gelato.

He developed a program to help students navigate the city. Older students work with new students during an "Amazing Race"-style orientation, as they learn how to travel to useful local organizations and services on city transit.

For more information about Greg and his work, click here.