UNews - Bernie Boulet

Toby and Bernadine Boulet champion initiative to support student teachers pursuing rural placements

trevor.kenney — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 18:43:36 +0000

Retired teachers and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge alumni Toby (BEd ’89, MEd ’04) and Bernadine (Bernie) (BEd ’88) Boulet are paying it forward by championing the Faculty of Education’s new initiative, Paving Roads to Success – a transformative fundraising campaign that addresses the support needs of third-year student teachers pursuing rural placements.

The Paving Roads to Success campaign aims to reduce financial barriers for student teachers as they travel to and from rural placements.

Bernie and Toby, with over 60 years of combined teaching experience, understand the positive impact student teachers have in rural settings and the financial challenges they face due to additional travel and living expenses with rural placements. They are financially supporting the initiative to help reduce these barriers and empower student teachers to bring quality education to underserved communities across Alberta.

“I taught in Lethbridge, working with student teachers and giving back to the community of education," says Toby. "We need student teachers. They are a massive part of our community, and we recognize that students in rural placements need help financially because they’re paying additional expenses. Supporting our future teachers benefits everyone and we feel as though we have a responsibility to help. It’s what communities do, support each other.”

Doug Checkley, instructor and assistant dean of field experiences, says the support is sorely needed by students, who are facing ever-increasing economic stress, as well as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s rural partners.

“Our partners now have the opportunity to host third-year student teachers. When students spend a full 16-week practicum in a smaller community, the chances of them looking for employment there greatly increases,” says Checkley. “It’s a win for the students and a win for our rural partners who we are hoping to support in finding new teachers for their communities.”

Bernie knows well how impactful a rural placement can be on a young teacher. Her 36-year career began in a rural setting and imparted experiences she’d never imagined.

“The opportunity I had to be part of a rural community and what I learned about Indigenous culture, I carried with me through my entire career," she says. "In a rural placement, you gain an appreciation of what it’s like to be part of a rural school and understand the impact a school can have when it is the hub of a community.”

Toby and Bernie’s son Logan had his sights set on becoming a teacher before his life was tragically cut short as one of the victims of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash. His short time in Humboldt made an impression upon him and speaks to the power of living in a smaller community.

“He had been registered at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to go into education and was going to be a teacher,” says Toby. “He told me and Bernie, “Humboldt is a nice town; I could teach here. I could live in Humboldt and teach here”.”

Those interested in supporting the Paving Roads to Success campaign can give here.

Alumnus Joshua Wong utilizes Logan Boulet Effect as inspiration for Green Shirt Day 2022 logo

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 20:34:17 +0000

Green Shirt Day 2022 will have a fresh look thanks to the work of a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge alumnus who has designed a new logo for the annual event. What will never change is the need for this important day to continue.

Joshua Wong (BFA/BMgt ’20) answered the call when Green Shirt Day organizers decided to redesign the logo for the April 7, 2022, event. Alumnus Toby Boulet (BEd '89, MEd '04), whose son Logan passed away because of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018, suggested a contest be orchestrated through ULethbridge to find a new look.

Joshua Wong, right, with the design for the new Green Shirt Day logo.

For Wong, the Logan Boulet Effect served as the inspiration for his design. It features two ribbons, one green and one yellow, intertwined with the words “Logan Boulet Effect” and “Humboldt Strong” on them. The ribbons in the logo feature several geometric shapes within them, something Wong made after watching an interview with the Humboldt Broncos pastor, who inspired him to create a design incorporating stained glass.

“The design has abstract elements,” says Wong, who works in Calgary as a graphic designer. “The different shades of green represent freshness, renewal and affirmation of life and the idea that communities are stronger together. The yellow represents the people who were affected by the Humboldt bus crash itself. For every shape that's in the yellow, it represents each individual who was affected.”

“My hope is that the different shades of colour represent different communities. The angled white lines in the green ribbon are inspired by pictures of the hockey stick that Logan had, with a more direct reference to him with the number 27 on the ribbon.”

Toby says the logo has been well-received for its thoughtful design.

“It replicates Logan's ribbons, which I like, and I like that the Humboldt Broncos are still recognized prominently in the logo,” he says. “I think it speaks to people. Register, be inspired and tell your family. If you want to think about Logan, think about the Logan Boulet Effect, and the Humboldt Broncos.”

The Logan Boulet Effect is the movement that emerged following the catastrophic bus crash and was inspired by Logan’s decision to register as an organ donor prior to his passing. At its core, the movement encourages Canadians and individuals around the world to register as organ donors.

Nearly 150,000 Canadians registered to become organ donors in the days and weeks following the crash, spurring the creation of Green Shirt Day to maintain momentum and honour the victims and families of the crash.

For Toby, it was important to involve ULethbridge in the process of creating a new look for Green Shirt Day — something they plan to do on a regular basis.

“Bernie (BEd ’88) and I both have degrees from there. Mariko (BSc ’17) has a degree from there and Logan was accepted there. I'm a senator there right now, and I managed the Pronghorns women’s rugby team for 20 years,” says Toby. “We're very connected to ULethbridge and if we're going to try a contest, we're going to go to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. We set it up with the Department of New Media in the Faculty of Fine Arts, and we included a $750 award for the winning design.”

It was a first for Wong to enter a design contest and in addition to winning this year’s design, he’s been offered a contract with Green Shirt Day for more design work.

“Going through this process with Green Shirt Day is a real learning experience for me and I feel lucky. Through the collaboration, I have gotten more experience than I thought I would have when I entered this contest.”

More than 2,100 shirts have been ordered for the Lethbridge area alone, as schools, the fire department, and Lethbridge Transit staff all prepare to don green on April 7. Those interested can get their official green shirt at greenshirt.ca.

Anyone can be a potential organ donor regardless of age, medical condition, or sexual orientation. In Alberta, the registration process for organ donation is done completely online through the Organ and Tissue Donation Registry.

Celebrating Green Shirt Day

trevor.kenney — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 22:03:50 +0000

It has been two years since the tragic Humboldt Broncos' bus crash claimed the lives of 16 young Canadians, including local hockey player, Logan Boulet. Logan’s parents, Toby (BEd '89, MEd '04) and Bernadine Boulet (BEd '98), and his sister Mariko (BSc '17), are all alumni of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, so this tragedy is even more near and dear to our hearts.

Paula Gorman, Sales & Promotions Manager for Pronghorn Athletics & Recreation, is ready to show her support for Green Shirt Day.

Only five weeks prior to the crash, Logan had signed up to be an organ donor, inspired by the passing of his family friend and trainer Ric Suggit, who was also the Pronghorns Women’s Rugby coach. Logan was able to save six lives, a gift that changed the lives of so many Canadians. Within a month of Logan’s passing, Canadian Blood Services reported that just shy of 100,000 people had signed up to be organ donors. The Logan Boulet Effect was born as news spread of the impact this young man had.

In 2019, the first national Green Shirt Day took place, with the goal of honouring, remembering and recognizing all the victims and families of that fatal crash and to continue Logan’s legacy by inspiring Canadians to talk to their families and register as organ donors. April 7th, the anniversary of Logan’s death, will be celebrated to help promote these life saving measures that allow all Canadians to give life to someone. There are several local and national organizations who benefit from organ, blood and tissue donations. Below are some of the organizations involved in the promotion of Green Shirt Day.

1. Canadian Blood Services. As Canada’s largest blood authority non-profit organization, they promote blood, plasma, stem cell and organ donation. To check eligibility and to book a donation appointment, visit their website. Make sure to check out both the organ donation after death program as well as the Living Kidney Donation program to see how you can get involved.

2. Hockey Gives Blood. IT TAKES A TEAM TO SAVE A LIFE. Hockey Gives Blood was founded by Stu Middleton and Tanner Murray, as a way to get the world of Canadian hockey involved in blood and stem cell donation awareness. The premise of this organization is to encourage teams to work together to build awareness and to give back.

3. Kidney Foundation of Canada. With organizations in municipalities all over the country (including one that operates right here in southern Alberta), the Kidney Foundation organizes and advocates for living kidney donations. Whether donating to a friend or family member or being willing to give to a perfect stranger, this organization facilitates the entire process.

Toby and Bernie Boulet show their support for student athletes

trevor.kenney — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 22:21:18 +0000

Toby (BEd '89, MEd '04) and Bernie (BEd '88) Boulet are proud to be part of the Pronghorns family. As a student Bernie was a member of the inaugural women's soccer team, and while Toby didn't play for the Pronghorns, he was a dedicated fan. Today, Toby is the manager of the U of L women's rugby team and Bernie is cheering from the sidelines. Regardless of the role they play, they are happy to continue their involvement with ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ athletics.

"Athletics was an important part of our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ experience and as alumni we are still proud to be U of L Pronghorns," says Bernie.

For those reasons, the Boulets want to give back.

"We want to make sure students continue to have the opportunity to play for, cheer on and take pride in the Pronghorns," says Toby. "That's why we support ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ athletics."

Watch the video below to hear more about the Boulet's involvement with athletics and why they're proud to support Pronghorn Athletics at the U of L. Join the Boulets and other alumni like them and make a gift today.

UNews - Bernie Boulet

Toby and Bernadine Boulet champion initiative to support student teachers pursuing rural placements

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