Graduating Queen’s students have the special opportunity to recognize secondary school educators who played a formative and inspiring role in their path to higher education.

Launched in 2007 by Queen’s Chancellor Emeritus A. Charles Baillie, the Baillie Awards for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching celebrate the role of secondary school educators in developing Queen’s graduates.

This year’s recipients were nominated by their former students, and are attending the students’ convocation ceremonies, where they are being honoured with the award.

“The stories of support and inspiration that our students recount through the nomination process reinforce the positive influence so many educators have on their students,” says Ann Tierney, Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs. “The university is so grateful to Mr. Baillie for his generosity in establishing this longstanding program to recognize excellence in secondary school teaching.”

The 2019 recipients are:

• Jackie St. John, April Thompson, and TJ Point, who staffed the Native Resource Centre at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School (CCVS), in Cornwall, Ontario. They were nominated by Josee Sunday, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Kinesiology, who convocated on June 4;
• Krista Van Gaal, chemistry teacher at St. Michael Catholic High School in Kemptville, Ontario. Ms. Van Gaal was nominated by Randilynne Urslak, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Life Sciences, who is convocating on June 11;
• Shawn Hood, physical education teacher and sports coach at North Toronto Collegiate Institute, in Toronto. Mr. Hood was nominated by Mitchell Malinsky, Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), who is also convocating on June 11;
• Christopher Zutt, a teacher at St. Margaret’s Public School in Scarborough, Ontario. Mr. Zutt was nominated by Nirosha Balakumar, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Global Development Studies and Gender Studies, who is convocating on June 12.

For more information about the awards and past recipients, visit the Division of Student Affairs website.