Mykaël Christopher Boulet
Centre psycho-pédagogique de Québec (École St François)

Since the tragic death of his father when he was only six years old, Mykaël Christopher Boulet has never been the same. The little smiling boy at the time became gloomy and sad, and developed severe behavioural problems. At the time, he embarked on a long and difficult path fraught with all kinds of problems but today, the student at the Centre psycho-pédagogique de Québec (CPPQ), who has just turned 17, has chosen to take his life in hand and, thanks to his perseverance, can now see the sun rising on the horizon. The profile of a boy who has definitely not been blessed in life!

“I have always had trouble believing in myself and I think that others, well certain people, have more faith in me than I do. But since last spring, things have changed. I have changed. I believe that my efforts will take me far. Because I have been a ward of the state all my life, I can’t wait to make the right choices for myself. I know that I am capable,” Mykaël Boulet confides with timidity and emotion, and still slightly under the shock of being nominated as a Forces AVENIR finalist.

Over the past ten years, Mykaël’s life has been marked by instability. He has lived with a dozen foster families and in group homes and suffered from medicated hyperactivity, mood swings, chronic disobedience, generalized demotivation, violence and drug addiction, the perfect cocktail for taking up a life characterized by total disorganization. Then one day the young boy realized that he would soon have to face the music of life alone and chose to put an end to this long, chaotic period.

“Last spring, after having spent eight years at our school, we informed him that we wouldn’t be able to accept him the following year. He then asked to meet with us and, for one and a half hours, he did everything he could to convince us to let him stay one more year, saying that he would take important steps towards functioning better, that he’d quit drugs and that he would be more committed to succeeding. Well, he did all this and respected all the terms and conditions we’d imposed upon him. He became a changed person and a role model of perseverance,” CPPQ psychologist Evelyn Wright confides with satisfaction.

From that moment on, Mykaël became fully committed to his studies and to various projects. He took part in a fashion show at his school for the second time. He also stood in at the last minute for a student who was supposed to host the annual benefit dinner attended by at least 500 people. He was also steadfastly involved in the Route de la jeunesse project that offers young people grappling with drug addiction problems activities that help them develop healthier lifestyle habits. He then enrolled in the CPPQ’s Service d’élèves confidents. After following a training course for care workers, he can now help students who need to talk but don’t feel like talking to adults. “I listen to them and we try to find solutions together. For me it’s very rewarding to be able to help others,” he asserts.

Music has also played a key role in Mykaël’s change of direction. Four or five years ago, when he was living with a foster family, favourable circumstances enabled him to discover the guitar. Ever since, without even having taken lessons, he has been writing songs and plays with creative energy and a definite talent. “Music enables me to vent my frustrations and helps me get through my periods of anxiety. Everything is released when I play. It’s my way of relaxing.”

Proud of what he has accomplished in less than a year and above all confident in the future, Mykaël has even enrolled in a vocational training school where he plans to learn how to be a plasterer. He will soon have the right to stand on his own two feet and have his very own apartment, a dream he has cherished for a long time.

“It’s hard for children to find their bearings in life if they don’t feel their life is stable. Today, Mykaël has found the long-lost ray of sunshine that used to illuminate his face before his life was turned upside down. He has taken himself in hand and we know he will attain his goals. He has all our admiration,” Mrs. Wright points out in a voice filled with emotion.

Mykaël Christopher Boulet
Centre psycho-pédagogique de Québec (École St François)