Class Acts

All for a good cause

Teachers, students and parents of St. Maria Goretti School in Calgary raised the most pledges in the CIBC Run for the Cure—School Team Challenge category. As a result, the team was awarded the Nike School Challenge Award and $1,500 worth of Nike sports equipment. The money goes to breast cancer research, education, early diagnosis and treatment.

Teacher down under is tops

A teacher from H.E. Bourgoin School in Bonnyville on a teacher exchange in Australia has been nominated for Australia's National Excellence in Teaching Award. Kelly Shyry was nominated by parents from her school community of Caboolture State School.

Beyond the call of duty

Edmonton Public Schools honored teachers, students and parents on November 12 when it handed out its district awards. Bill Kao, a Mandarin teacher at McNally High School and Amy McMurray, a student at J. Percy Page High School, received Service awards. Strathcona High School's yearbook committee was honored with a Team award. Students at Jasper Place High School were singled out for a Merit award recognizing their Healthy Relationships Program.

When the muse strikes

Kath (Kathryn) MacLean, a teacher at McKernan School in Edmonton, has been awarded the New Muse Literary Award for poetry from Broken Jaw Press in Fredericton. Her book, for a cappucino on Bloor, will be published in June.

"Mr. Geography"

A teacher at High Park School in Stony Plain is the recipient of the National Council for Geographic Education's Distinguished Teacher Award. Robert Twerdoclib, dubbed "Mr. Geography" by the ATA Social Studies Council for his work with teachers, is the first Alberta classroom teacher to receive the award in its 85-year history. The award was presented in Orlando, Florida, on October 9.

Young leader's work receives recognition

Steven Ladd, a student at McLeod Elementary School in Edmonton, has won a Young Leaders of Tomorrow Award. Ladd actively volunteers in his school serving on the school's conflict management team and student council. He is captain of the school's AMA school patrol.

Educator takes it to the people

A principal with the St. Albert Protestant School Board who cooks pancake breakfasts for his students and greets them as they disembark from their buses in the morning was recently honored with a national award from the Reader's Digest Foundation of Canada. Norm Elicksen, principal at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School, is one of 26 elementary and secondary school educators across Canada chosen to receive a Leadership in Education Award.