Two Barrie teachers have been honoured with the John Rozema Award for Teacher Excellence in education.
The award recognize teachers who surpass expectations in their work at Christian Schools in Ontario.
Kim Furtney and Jeff Weening, who teach history and English respectively at Unity Christian High School on Burton Ave., shared an $8,000 prize in the Group Excellence category.
Their students developed a Canadian history exhibit at the Simcoe County Museum.
Michael Van Pelt, President and CEO of Cardus, and Dr. Beth Green, Education Program Director at Cardus, along with John and Stephen Rozema, presented the awards at a recent gala at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington in partnership with the Christian School Foundation.
The awards went to five teachers in four categories.
“I’m thrilled with the caliber of teachers we’ve seen win the Rozema Awards this year,” said Dr. Beth Green. “Clearly their passion for teaching drives them to bring learning to life for their students, creating memories and lessons that will last a lifetime.”
Michael Van Pelt notes that the Rozema Awards have added a new category this year.
“This is the first time we’ve included an award for a teacher involved in the arts,” said Van Pelt. “That’s an important step forward because it’s an area where the seeds of culture are planted, the results of which we’ll see in the lives of their students.”
The John Rozema Teaching Excellence Awards recognise excellence as an ongoing investment into the life of a Christian school community and a positive public contribution to the common good.
The awards are named for and sponsored by Sarnia business leader John Rozema, esteemed for his commitment to both local and global issues, and for his support of institutions such as Sarnia Christian School.
A total of $23,000 was handed out.
