
Okanagan, Kamloops teachers receive Premier’s education excellence awards
VERNON – Okanagan and Kamloops area teachers showed their dedication to education and took home four of 10 Premier's Awards for Excellence in Education.
Brass was handed out to 10 winners chosen from 140 nominations Oct. 4 at a ceremony held at Government House in Victoria.
Kamloops teacher and program coordinator at Twin Rivers Education Centre Jordan Smith won the Indigenous Education Award for her work to connect students to indigenous culture and history. Smith identifies a thematic focus each year that blends hands-on work with engaging lesson plans. Smith also secured a Vancouver Foundation grant to pilot a program to integrate indigenous ways of knowing alongside the western curriculum by involving family, Elders and knowledge keepers.
Kelowna Secondary School principal Troy White earned the School Leadership award for his work to enhance the success of all staff and students at the school. White is a team player pivotal to the school's positive culture and learning environment and takes an active role in helping students achieve their best both in the classroom and out.
Vernon will see two awards return home.
Alan Gee, a Clarence Fulton Secondary teacher with 32 years in the industry under his belt, received the Community Engagement Award for his support in creating classroom and community connections. Gee invites community members into his classroom to share their unique perspectives. Notably, Gee's class has hosted a Holocaust survivor, a refugee and a hypnotherapist. Gee created a global education course, a Japanese language program and organized a canoe project in partnership with a local indigenous band.
Brendan Roberston, a teacher at Beairsto Elementary, won the Technology and Innovation Award. Robertson is the district's technology innovation co-ordinator and a Grade 4 teacher committed to bringing tech tools into the classroom. Robertson has taken students on virtual field trips to a refugee camp in Jordan and the Museum of Modern Art. In physics and math, Robertson has brought drones into play and often uses coding and robotics.
"All British Columbians benefit from the outstanding efforts of teachers, administrators and support workers," said Premier John Horgan. "The education professionals honoured through the Premier's Awards for Excellence in Education are exemplary in their commitment to student success, making schools safe and welcoming places for all, innovative learning approaches and strong leadership, and having made lasting impacts on peoples' lives."
The annual awards ceremony coincides with World Teachers' Day.
Winners received a $3,000 personal bursary for their professional learning and a $2,000 contribution to their school community for professional learning.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Parker Crook or call (250) 864-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.