Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

Akwesasne, Ontario - June 25, 2008 - The Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence recognize the efforts of outstanding elementary and secondary school teachers in all disciplines who instill in their students a love for learning and equip them with the skills they need to meet the challenges of a 21st century society and economy. Offered at the Certificate of Excellence (national) and Certificate of Achievement (local) levels, the awards carry cash prizes for the recipient’s school.

Lydie Stacey, recipient of a 2007-2008 Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence, will be honoured at a special ceremony. Administrators and trustees of the Ahkwesahsne Mohawk Board of Education will be on hand to congratulate Lydie for receiving this prestigious award. The event will take place on Wednesday June 25, 2008 at 10:00am in the gymnasium of Ahkwesahsne Mohawk School on Cornwall Island. Lydie Stacey is currently a Grade Four teacher at Ahkwesahsne Mohawk School.

Lydie is a First Nation Educator who has modeled excellence in the teaching profession for 19 years. She will be honoured with a Certificate of Achievement for her dedicated service to the children of Ahkwesahsne Mohawk School. She has taught in various teaching positions from Pre-Kindergarten to a Grade 5/6 split. She uses information and communication technology to enhance academic programming. Lydie has video taped a student dramatization of the court case in the novel Shiloh and audio taped elder’s stories. She routinely utilizes hands on teaching strategies that facilitate learning and maintain student interest. She invites community members to share their knowledge with the students. She has piloted many new educational programs that helped develop the excellent education program at A.M.S. She has been an Associate Teacher for numerous student teachers and mentored many new teachers. Lydie is an amazing individual that is never too busy to take on more projects.

A total of 67 awards (16 Certificates of Excellence and 51 Certificates of Achievement) were presented to educators across Canada. Lydie Stacey will receive a certificate signed by the Prime Minister and her school will receive a cash reward of $1,000 to be spent under her direction. The Prime Minister announced the names of the recipients at a special ceremony in Ottawa on May 15, 2008. These awards are made possible by the generous support of the program’s corporate partners: Microsoft Canada, Petro-Canada Research In Motion and the RBC Financial Group.

For more information on the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence, please call (613) 946-0651, e-mail pmate-ppmee@ic.gc.ca or visit the web site at http://www.pma.gc.ca.