THUNDER BAY — A teacher at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School has won national recognition for his work in the classroom and his contributions to the community.
Greg Chomut, who teaches art, history and media at the First Nations school, received a Certificate of Achievement in the 2020 Prime Minister's Awards program.
A government announcement credits Chomut with building multiple bridges between his students and the wider community "in a city with a troubled history of racism."
His teaching approach, the statement said, "focuses on giving his students confidence and helping them find their voices, whether they're making a painting, learning from Elders how to bead moccasins, recording a song with a Juno-winning act, or writing letters to politicians."
Chomut regularly invites at-risk students to live with his family as they finish their education. All the students who have lived with him have graduated.
Among his other achievements, he is a founder of the Wake the Giant Music Festival, an event in which students perform alongside Indigenous and non-Indigenous acts in an effort to boost inclusivity and cross-cultural understanding.
After reaching out to local businesses, some 300 firms and organizations in the city agreed to display decals noting they are inclusive spaces for Indigenous youth.
Chomut's nominator said "Greg helped create something that asked other people to become leaders in the community and they stepped up to make his students more welcome."
In an interview with Tbnewswwatch, Chomut said he was honoured and excited to hear about the award through an email from Ottawa.
One of the best parts, he said, was finding out he had been nominated by his colleagues, "people that I really look up to and see as great examples of teachers to aspire to."
Chomut said the awards are typically presented at an annual gala in the nation's capital, but the event will not be held this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
