AWARDS
JACK MACKENZIE CAREER SERVICE AWARD
Dr . Nick Forsberg receiving the Jack MacKenzie Career Service Award . Photo : courtesy of SPEA .
Dr . Nick Forsberg , Professor of Health , Outdoor , Physical Education ( HOPE ), was the inaugural recipient of the Jack MacKenzie Career Service Award , which was presented at the Saskatchewan Physical Education Association 2019 Conference ,” Celebrating Diversity ,” held May 9 and 10 , 2019 .
" Following the passing of Jack MacKenzie on August 22 , 2018 the SPEA Executive immediately passed a unanimous motion to rename SPEA ' s Career Service Award to The Jack MacKenzie Career Service Award . Jack was instrumental in modelling the physically holistic lifestyle that this award truly epitomizes . This award has been created in honor of outstanding contribution to Physical Education in the Province of Saskatchewan and it ' s schools . The award winner is exclusively chosen by the SPEA Board of Directors and presented at it ' s own discretion and time " ( SPEA Website ).
SPRING CONVOCATION AWARDS
Photo ( L-R ): President and Vice Chancellor Dr . Vianne Timmons and Samantha Dech , recipient of the Saskatchewan Teachers ' Federation Prize . Photo credit : Shuana Niessen
Samantha Dech was the recipient of the Spring 2019 Saskatchewan Teachers ' Federation Prize recipient . The prize is awarded to the most distinguished student of the Faculty of Education graduating class , who does not hold another degree .
Dech graduated with a B . Ed . in Elementary Education , Great Distinction , with an overall average of 89 / 90 %. During her studies , Dech was a recipient of the Academic Silver Prize in 2016 , 2017 , and 2018 . She received the Centennial Merit Plus Scholarship 2015 ,
the Helen Marguerite Fuller Prize for Teaching in 2017 , the Superannuated Teachers of Saskatchewan Scholarship , and the Marlene ( Wood ) Steininger Memorial Scholarship in Education 2018 .
Raised in Balgonie , Saskatchewan , Dech graduated from Greenall High School . Her love for learning and children was evident from an early age . During the four years of her program , Dech built strong relationships , engaged in new learning experiences , and grew as a reflective educator . While interning , Dech realized how wonderfully rewarding the teaching profession is and achieved an overall internship rating of " Outstanding ."
Dech is currently teaching a Grade 1 / 2 class at St . Gregory School in Regina , Saskatchewan .
Samantha Dech ( right ) with friends at Spring 2019 Convocation . Photo credit : Shuana Niessen
The Bachelor of Education After Degree ( BEAD ) Prize , which is awarded to the most distinguished graduate with an overall internship rating of Outstanding and the highest grade point average in the program was presented to Anya Zimmerman , a Yukon Native Teacher Education Program student born and raised in Whitehorse Yukon .
Zimmerman has a passion for the outdoors and the environment . After graduating from F . H . Collins High School in Whitehorse , she attended University of British Columbia , where she earned a Bachelor of Human Kinetics .
While working as an Educational Assistant at the Individual Learning Centre in Whitehorse between 2015 and 2017 , Zimmerman became eager to work with youth and to make education a more positive experience in the community . This experience lead her to return to school to complete her Bachelor of Education degree .
Zimmerman views her acceptance into YNTEP as a true privilege and has described the experience as " completely life changing ." This uniquely local education program has offered a perspective and training in education that has been meaningful and transformative for her .
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