WINNIPEG – John F. Ross teacher Erin Doupe has been named a recipient of Governor General's History Award for Teaching Excellence — the country's most prestigious history honour.
The award was announced Tuesday.
It is given by Canada’s National History Society and recognizes teachers who strive for excellence in teaching Canadian history. This year, six teachers from across the country will receive the honour at an upcoming ceremony.
Doupe led her high school students through a local history project called The Story of a Soldier, which centred on the experiences of Guelph’s soldiers and their families during the First World War.
The students worked closely with attestation records, diaries, historical newspapers and secondary sources, which they used to craft a short biography of a soldier.
The students then mailed their stories to the soldiers’ last known address.
"As I read the research notes and stories my students wrote about Guelph's fallen soldiers from the First World War, I am reminded of author Thomas King's quote, 'The truth about stories is that’s all we are,'" Doupe said in a news release.
“History is an important lens for understanding the world around us. These teachers have created meaningful and engaging opportunities for their students to research, investigate, and reflect on the past, and to consider how it continues to influence our present,” said Melony Ward, President & CEO of Canada’s History
Society in the news release. “Their dedication to nurturing a deeper understanding of Canadian history is both inspiring and invaluable."
Each award is accompanied by a $2,500 individual prize, as well as a $1,000 prize for the teacher's school.