For the 30th year, the Prime Minister’s Awards are bestowed upon Canada’s top educators.

For as long as many of us can remember, teachers have always been held in the highest regard in our communities. Their position of importance derives from their direct influence on the next generation and, in turn, our future. Teachers are trusted to inspire young people to reflect, ask questions and challenge themselves so that their full potential is reached.

This year has special significance as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Prime Minister’s Awards, given to Canadian teachers who have demonstrated creativity in their approach to education. Since the federal government instituted the Prime Minister’s Awards in 1994, more than 2,200 outstanding Canadian educators have been honoured with them, recognized for inspiring their students to strive for excellence and giving them the skills, tools and experiences they’ll need to become thriving adults and engaged Canadian citizens.

“Canada’s educators are a lot more than just leaders in the classroom. They’re also incredible mentors, coaches, counsellors and supporters for our children and grandchildren. During my time as a teacher, and ever since, I’ve met so many teachers who dedicate their lives to inspire the next generation. Today, as we applaud the 2024 award recipients, we celebrate our educators, support their work and thank them for their contributions to making Canada even better,” said the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada.

Award categories include Teaching Excellence; Teaching Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM); and Excellence in Early Childhood Education. Within these categories, awards were given at regional or national levels.

“Canada’s famous education system starts with the early childhood educators and teachers who help kids learn, grow and ask questions. The 2024 Prime Minister’s Awards winners are inspiring curiosity in children and students, encouraging them to be creative and ambitious. Thank you for shaping a strong future for Canada,” said the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

It is with great pleasure and gratitude that we present a few of these incredible Canadian educators here.

Newfoundland & Labrador
Jennifer O’Neill-Riggs
If students are hungry, Jennifer ONeill-Riggs feeds them. If theyre stressed, she works with them on mindfulness exercises. When theyre ready to learn, she puts them to work exploring the natural world, tearing down barriers and building launch pads to success so students can fall in love with science. A student science fair project she supported earned awards at provincial and national levels and was published in the Canadian Science Fair Journal.

Alberta
Laura Noel
This teacher empowers young learners through multisensory learning. Laura’s students are part of a “grand-buddies” program with seniors and a “kindness ninjas” initiative, performing good deeds around the school.

British Columbia
Matthew Trask
Matthew launched his high school’s first STEM program and reformed the evaluation of math and science knowledge in the West Vancouver School District. He collaborated with teachers to prioritize critical thinking and cumulative outcomes over content retention. In the classroom, he guides students to apply STEM theories to solve real-world challenges.

Ontario
Karen Choo
Karen creates opportunities for her students to connect with subjects through art, language, music and culture. In her class, students explore their diverse cultures through various activities. Karen ensures that all her students can see themselves, their interests and their cultures reflected in what they’re learning.

Ontario
Dean Netto
Dean Netto adapts his classroom space and lessons to his students needs and capacities: if traditional textbook teaching of math concepts isnt resonating, hell set them out in TikTok videos, earworm rap videos, or through the lens of current events. He seeks to understand his students stresses, discomforts, passions, interests and pride points to foster a learning environment in which they see themselves reflected.

Ontario
Jasmine Sgambelluri
A role model, facilitator and safe presence with Lakehead District School Board, Jasmine Sgambelluri seeks to braid Indigenous ways of knowing with digital learning and the classroom environment to encourage students and educators to discover and understand their relationships to themselves, each other and their communities. She collaborated with Elders and Knowledge Carriers to create a resource for the school district that helps teachers ensure Indigenous communities are represented in classrooms.

Manitoba
Andrea Misner
Andrea goes beyond teaching science to let her students experience it firsthand. By leveraging her network and seeking funding, Andrea creates opportunities for students to conduct experiments that involve scuba diving, launching high- altitude balloons, and using research-grade telescopes, fostering a hands-on learning approach that engages their curiosity and deepens their understanding of the universe.

Northwest Territories
Pierre Cook
Pierre is known for not coddling but instead reinforcing his students’ skills, confident that they have the self-discipline needed to complete their tasks. By giving them a certain amount of autonomy, Pierre encourages them to develop their critical- thinking skills and to take pride in themselves.

Québec
Rosemary Hill
Rosemary uses the subjects of Language and Literature as jumping-off points to engage her students in discussions about real-world issues. She challenges them to find and tell stories of their own about the world around them and to create positive change.

Québec
André Cholmsky
André Cholmsky helps his students see and experience the real-world impacts of what they learn in his classroom. With a keen interest in environmental and sustainability initiatives, he encourages his students to apply their learnings to grow food on campus, solve sustainability challenges in the cafeteria, and contribute to community initiatives.