'It's like he's a different person': Formerly angry Oromocto boy earns award

On his very first day of Grade 7, CarsonDeveauxgot into a full-on fist fight.

"It just got out of hand," he said. "We were pushing and then it turned into an all out fist fight."

The fighting started inelementary school, whenthe now Grade 8 studentstruggled to keep his temper under control.

• Turnaround Achievement Awards honour 25 students
• Awards honour students' triumphs over adversity

Carson, who attends Harold Peterson Middle School inOromocto,would often get angry for no reason and would havea hardtime concentrating in class. His teacher Pamela Thomas described it as"blind rage," which started back in Grade 3.

"He would hang onto a negative emotion for the remainder of the day and sometimes into the next day and would have a hard time getting back to a positive place in his mind,"said Thomas.

Carson's mom, Jennifer, saidhis trouble atschool trickled into his home life as well.

"It was certainly challenging at times," shesaid. "It was turmoil at home a lot of times."

Deveauxsaid her son was later diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder, in which a person engages in argumentative and defiant behaviour and feels angry and irritable.

"There's a lot of out of control behaviour that comes with that," Deveaux said in an interview with Information Morning Fredericton.

Fighting for a change

Halfway through Grade 7, Carson decided the anger had to stop.

Hemade a smallattitude adjustment and set new goals for himself.

"I wanted to try to change," he said.

After several visits to the doctor after he was diagnosed, Carson also received help from medication that's typically used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Ultimately the success comes when the student decides for themselves.-Pamela Thomas

"It helps me have one second to think, to think ... 'What am Igoing to do?'" he said.

On Wednesday, Carsonwill berecognized at the23rdannualTurnaround Achievement Awards in Fredericton, an event that rewards students in the region who have turned their struggles into achievements both at home and at school.

Carson wasnominated by Thomas for his change in behaviour over the past three years.

"It's almost like he stepped outside himself and saw what he was doing and went, 'No this can't keep going on,'" Thomas said.

"It's like he's a different person," said Thomas.

These days, Carson can often be foundsmiling and chatting with his peers andhe's become a lot more self-aware, Thomas said.

He'sready to take the next step into Grade 9.

"Ultimately, the success comes when the student decides for themselves," said Thomas.