Fate runs its course
From the classroom to Camino quests, Wolfville’s Danielle LeBlanc is living large
Danielle LeBlanc, of Wolfville, pours her heart, soul and passion into everything she does, motivating and leading others along the way.
LeBlanc grew up in Clare in a francophone Acadian family. It was here, at a young age, as a minority in the province, that she developed an early passion for her language and culture.
She also learned at the feet of her parents the importance of volunteering and being part of a community. Both parents were, and still are, very involved in the community, volunteering countless hours to youth and community theatre groups, Girl Guides and Scouts and municipal committees.
With her cultural pride and community involvement ethic, it’s no wonder LeBlanc, as a high school student, became president of the Conseil Jeunesse Provincial de la Nouvelle Ecosse. She then sat as a youth delegate on the Societe Nationale de l'Acadie and finally became president of the Federation de la Jeunesse Canadienne Francaise.
“From Grade 10 on I was a lobbyist and an activist for language and cultural rights,” says LeBlanc. “I travelled from coast to coast to coast, and in Europe as a spokesperson for Canada's Francophone youth, and locally was part of the group that successfully lobbied for a Francophone school board in Nova Scotia.”
After graduation, LeBlanc enrolled at Mount Saint Vincent University. As she was finishing her degree, she became pregnant with her son, Jeremy. With a baby at home and through the help of her parents, LeBlanc enrolled at Universite Sainte Anne to pursue a Bachelor of Education. She was told at the time not to bother because she had a child at home. That just made LeBlanc even more determined to prove them wrong.
She graduated two years later — with her son on her hip.
“Without the help of my parents, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I like to think fate led me to this path in life,” she says.
LeBlanc says she didn’t set out to become a teacher, it came by accident. But she'd loved summers working in summer camps and as a lifeguard. Now, she can’t imagine herself doing anything else.
A LOVE FOR TEACHING
“I am very lucky to love teaching."
She is a middle school French teacher at Kings County Academy in Kentville. There, she teaches in the immersion program as well as core French to the non-immersion students.
Besides classroom teaching for more than 10 years, LeBlanc has organized a French exchange trip for students to Quebec. She's taken students on six trips to Europe, with another this spring. She’s coached soccer and swimming at school and leads the action team, a social justice and community service group. She's also staff leader for a Dungeons and Dragons club — despite admitting she knows nothing about the game.
Asked why she gives so much of her free time to student activities, she says students need a place to develop their leadership skills. That, and she likes her students to know she cares about them. Besides, it’s a great way to know students outside math class, she laughs.
“I don’t believe in doing for others things that they can do themselves. My students make phone calls, send emails, participate in the budgeting, plan their exchange. I believe student activities should be student led. For youth, by youth.”
LeBlanc says she is so proud of the connections she's made with her students over the years and appreciates when students return years later to give updates.
When not teaching, LeBlanc still swims, a carryover from youth when she swam competitively. She also loves to ski and is planning to take a ski instructor's course this winter.
On her school breaks, she likes to do what she calls adventure travelling. Previously, LeBlanc and her partner enjoyed cycle tourism in Europe. Now she calls herself a pilgrim. She has walked the Camino Way through France, Spain and Portugal four times.
The first time she walked 800 kilometres on the French Way from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostella. The second time she walked on the Puy en Velay route, the third and fourth times she walked to Santiago de Compostella on the Portuguese way. Her next pilgrimage will be the Camino Norte, the more challenging coastal route.
There are many reasons she returns to the Camino, besides the physical challenge. The Camino is a place where people come together, regardless of nationality, religion, politics or socio-economic situation, she says.
“I like the simplicity of a Camino, where you need to carry everything on your back. It makes you realize how little we need in life."
Overall, LeBlanc says it’s an amazing feeling to be able to look back and be proud of just how far you can go when you believe in yourself and you’re willing to work hard.
“I fight hard for what is right, but deep down I am just an advocate who cares deeply.”