On Thursday November 7th, 2019 ECOO announced its winners of the prestigious Making IT Happen Award for 2019.
The Making IT Happen award honors outstanding ECOO educators and leaders who are committed to transforming education through innovative technology integration. This internationally recognized program identifies visionaries around the world who cultivate connected, empowered learners in all schools.
This award celebrates something that’s very important — those innovators who demonstrate extraordinary commitment, leadership, courage and persistence in improving learning opportunities for students.
This award recognizes and honors those superstars who often are the unsung heroes of education. These educators and leaders pour everything they have into improving teaching and learning to create far-reaching, impactful change in the field of educational technology integration, and the ECOO Board acknowledges that you are one of them!
These often are the people who are doing so many impressive things that they don’t fit in to a typical award category and rarely receive the recognition they deserve. I think you’ll find that to be true when you hear who our winners are this year.
One of our winners has been teaching in their district for over 17 years. While carrying on the duties of teaching Grade ⅘ students they also find time to write about education and technology on their blog and in many publications such as The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, and TVO’s The Agenda.
This teacher is a brave outspoken person on social media about issues that matter for students and teachers and as a result has been interviewed about education on Rogers Television and CBC.
They also present about education and technology, and the areas where they intersect, at education conferences in Canada and the US and to parent groups in Ontario.
From Grand Erie District School Board and Major Ballachey Public School in Brantford, congratulations to Andrew Campbell.
One of our winners has been teaching for 15 years and has been presenting on #edtech since 2009.
A board VR technology specialist and Ministry of Education VR researcher, this computer and software engineering teacher develops locally sourced digital technology programs that win awards and launch graduations into successful careers.
This teacher is also the coach of Skills Ontario champions and CyberTitan National finalists, including the Provincial Champion All-Female Team, The Terabytches and is a vocal disruptor courageously sharing ideas on how education can be and do better.
From Upper Grand District School Board, and Centre Wellington District High School in Fergus congratulations to Timothy King.
The International Society for Technology in Education, ISTE, and its affiliates have presented this award to more than 700 worthy leaders since the program began in 1995.
Prior to 2019, there have only been 4 previous Making IT Happen award winners from ECOO:
2011
Brenda Sherry – Upper Grand District School Board
Peter Skillen – Founder of the YMCA Academy
2018
Aviva Dunsiger – Hamilton Wentworth District School Board
Kim Gill – Waterloo Region District School Board
L-R Andrew Campbell (2019), Kim Gill (2018), Timothy King (2019), Brenda Sherry (2011), Peter Skillen (2011) (Missing: Aviva Dunsiger (2018))
Winners receive an exclusive Making IT Happen jacket, an award certificate, a lapel pin, a one-year ISTE membership, recognition within ISTE, and an invitation to the awards celebration at the ISTE conference. Best of all, they join the ranks of a very distinguished group of leaders around the world who continue to make great things happen every day!