Keeley Henry has been invested into the Order of Gabriel Dumont. (photo submitted/Gabriel Dumont Institute)

By Susan McNeil

Order of Gabriel Dumont

P.A. student invested into Order of Gabriel Dumont

May 10, 2022 | 11:12 AM

As a mother of five and a full-time student, Prince Albert student Keeley Henry is a busy woman but she is not too busy to excel.

Henry is one of eight Métis students that will be invested into the Order of Gabriel Dumont in 2022.

The award is a validation of the effort she has put into creating a new career for herself.

“When I found out about the award, I was actually pretty excited because it feels like no one’s watching you and all the hard work and effort you put into it,” Henry said.

In existence since the 1980s, the Order of Gabriel Dumont focusses on honouring people for their contributions to the Métis community.

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The bronze medal that was presented to Henry, is specifically for outstanding students and alumni of the Gabriel Dumont Institute.

Henry says one of the things that drives her is the knowledge that she is a role model for other Métis people.

“For me as a Metis person I want to show everyone from my home community that what I’m doing is because they’re watching me,” she said.

Henry is from Beauval, near Lac Île-à-la-Crosse in northern Saskatchewan and knows younger people from home are watching her.

“Just showing them that no matter your background history, who you are or where you come from, if you put your mind to it, you can achieve it,” said Henry.

A full course load and motherhood requires some balancing, but Henry said finding a way is important.

“I want to say, always make time for yourself,” she said. For Henry, she takes a bath to relax and have time for herself.

She also makes sure her children know their own schedule, so they are aware of their own expectations.

Henry said her children – aged 13,11, nine, seven and five – think its great that she is attending school just like they do.

“I just basically do everything at night when everyone is in bed,” she said. “It’s a lot of sleepless nights.”

The desire to be a teacher came from being a student herself, Henry explained.

“I’ve always had this dream of growing up and being a teacher because being a student that’s all you get to see everyday is your teachers so seeing them kind of inspired me throughout my life,” said Henry.

Becoming a mother when she was still young meant that she put her own education on a backburner in order to care for her children first.

After moving to Prince Albert, Henry first pursued a Grade 12 diploma through the Gabriel Dumont Institute

“To me being a Métis person is a strong resilient person,” she said.

She is now close to completing her degree and looking for a long-term job, something she hopes to do in Prince Albert as she and her family have bought a house and put down roots.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow