Paving the Way for Success Through Education

Chris Paz

An interview with Chris Paz, Rundle Academy teacher

Was education always important to you?

I grew up in a working-class household and was fortunate to get a good public school education. My mother valued education and always pushed me and my brother toward greater challenges and opportunities. The values my mom instilled, and through my experience, I learned that education was the path to greater opportunity and the best way to influence your life and empower you on your path through life.

Did you want to be a teacher as a young adult?

I grew up on the East Coast in Nova Scotia and went to St. Francis Xavier University (StFX). I knew I wanted to give back to the community from an early age and was thinking more toward a career in political life, but quickly realized politics wasn’t my passion.

I had been a coach and an athlete since I was 14 years old, and I had always known that good coaches and good teachers could have big impact on kids’ lives.

I first had the opportunity to try my hand at teaching when I participated in the X-Project—a tremendous StFX program where university students are brought to African Canadian and Mi’kmaw communities in rural Nova Scotia, where they tutor kids for free.

Tell us more about your teaching experiences in university.

The families we tutored through the X-Project were extremely grateful to have us be a part of their kids’ education. It gave me a totally new perspective on what’s important.

Along with a friend on a similar path, I then tutored through Access Antigonish (the hometown to StFX), a program designed to help low-income people who couldn’t leave their homes because of physical mobility issues, complete their General Equivalency Diploma (GED). We would tutor [students] in their homes so that they could finish their GED and move on with their lives.

I also volunteered in a kindergarten class. Those are the experiences that guided me to pursue a career in education. 

What happened after university?

Alberta was doing well economically at the time, so I moved West to pursue opportunity. I quickly realized I would need a Master’s degree to sustain me through a long-term teaching career. I decided to return to school the following semester at the University of New Brunswick.

When I graduated, I worked on a reserve in northern Manitoba. I met my wife, and we relocated to Calgary, where I worked at the Stoney Nakoda Reserve. Then, I was fortunate enough to enter Calgary’s independent school system. I took a job at Calgary Academy for six years before joining Rundle Academy 14 years ago.

What was Rundle Academy like when you first started versus today?

When I started, there were 200 students in total and 27 students in the graduating class. I also saw a passionate staff team that cared about what we were doing. The huge difference maker in the educational system is having the right people who are passionate about what they're doing and want to be there.

I was so pleased to see that it was a family-centred school—because when the families are interwoven into the learning experience, and we can collaborate, we really see success stories.

These days, every Rundle Academy graduate is accepted to more than one university. We’re approaching 275 students. There has been tremendous growth.

Can you talk about what makes the Rundle Academy experience so special from your perspective?

Relationships. Students feel comfortable asking teachers for help and know they will get the support they need. Often, they come from a school situation where they struggle. We try hard to create a warm, caring environment, but it takes time for them to adjust. 

I’ve heard students talk about what a relief it is to know what to expect at school. I’ve heard them say, “I know that I can approach my teachers, and I know that change can happen.”

We want them to be able to advocate for themselves. We need to scaffold them a little bit and be off in the periphery, saying, ‘We're here for you, and you can do this for yourself.’

You’re a donor to Rundle—what inspires you to give?

The scholarship/bursary program is huge in my heart. Students should have access to the education they need. It breaks my heart to think that a family might have to pull out of our program because they can't afford to be part of it.

I give back to help ensure that other people have the same likelihood of success that I received through education. It takes the whole community to build this village. We can’t do this work unless we’re all willing to help.