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2023 High School / CEGEP Teaching Award Winners

The CAP and its award partners - Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, TRIUMF, and the Institute of Particle Physics - are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 CAP High School/CEGEP Teaching Awards. Recipients will be presented with their awards at their school, the CAP Congress, or some other mutually-agreed upon event, as coordinated with the recipients.

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The 2023 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Ian Doktor, Jasper Place High School, in recognition of his passion and dedication in teaching physics, particularly for his involvement of students in the design and implementation of astronomy projects and for the care and enthusiasm in his teaching that inspires students to continue in physics.


"Being selected for the CAP High School award is both humbling and inspiring. Teaching physics is more than a job or a calling; it's a responsibility to help students become scientifically literate so they can create a better future. The CAP high school award recognizes the importance of that endeavour."

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The 2022 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Christopher Sarkonak, Brandon School Division, in recognition of his passion and dedication in teaching physics, particularly his ungrading policies, inclusive classroom, and commitment to sharing strategies to assist other physics teachers. Christopher’s student-centered, equity-based approaches in the classroom have led naturally into his support and celebration of women through an annual STEM for Girls event. Notably, he has also twice received the Ceremonial Star Blanket, awarded annually within his school to a teacher who has supported Indigenous learners’ successes as selected by a committee of graduating Indigenous students.


"Being presented with this award is one of the greatest honours of my career! I am fortunate to be able to teach a subject that I truly love and there are many days that I can't even believe that this is what I get to do for a living. Knowing that it's impacted my students and colleagues to the point of nominating me for this award is incredibly humbling."

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The 2021 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Murray Guest, Walter Murray Collegiate, Saskatoon, SK, in recognition of to recognize his passion and dedication to teaching physics and his work with the Knowledge and Education Exchange Network and Math 9+ program.


"I got the call early in October and smiled for a week. This recognition by such a prestigious organization humbles me as does the company of the great teachers honored before me. Finally, I am reminded of the students, colleagues, and mentors whose hard work and interest in learning have helped make this possible."

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The 2020 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Ryan Beck, Chinooks Edge School Division, in recognition of for presenting multiple opportunities to keep physics relevant and accessible to students, a very wide and diverse practice is achieving grants for educating students, and the effort he has put in getting students into the wider world applying physics.


"I set my heart on the CAP award in 2012 and worked at it since then because I see it as the highest honour a high school physics teacher can achieve. It has been my goal to become a teacher worthy of this honour because that is the minimum my amazing students deserve."

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The 2019 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Brad Langdale, Spruce Grove Composite High School, in recognition of for his dedication to student achievement and for his extensive mentoring and professional development of teachers throughout the province.


"I am so excited to accept the CAP High School/CEGEP Physics Teaching Award. I feel very lucky that I can make a living out of telling people about physics, that I can share my passion for science with others, and recognition for doing so is just icing on the cake."

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The 2018 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Thana Rahim, Ecole St. Patrick High School, in recognition of for her innovation in promoting physics in Canada's north, bringing physics into the Yellowknife community, and her ability to encourage so many students in pursuing careers in science and engineering.

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The 2017 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Karen Kennedy-Allin, Weyburn Comprehensive School, in recognition of her multiple leadership roles with students, other physics teachers, with First Nations, and in the community that have communicated a passion for physics in all that she does, from classroom teaching to curriculum development..


"I am very honoured and excited to receive this award of teaching excellence in Physics. It has always been my goal to make Physics more interesting, more inquiry-based and more fun for my students. I have had amazing professional development opportunities at the Perimeter Institute and through developing curriculum in Saskatchewan. These experiences with other teachers and Physics experts have contributed greatly to the way that I teach today. I wish to thank the Canadian Association of Physicists as well as my colleagues who nominated me for this award. This is even more motivation to keep growing and innovating. Thank you!!"

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The 2016 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Jeff Goldie, Strathcona High School, in recognition of for his 30-year track record of teaching excellence, his mentorship of other teachers, and his leadership in physics education in Alberta.


"It was a heartwarming surprise when my students and colleagues nominated me for this award, and truly an honour to be selected. I share this award with them - they inspire me to keep learning, encourage me to try new approaches, and continually remind me of the joy found in teaching physics."

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The 2015 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Patrick Kossmann, Greenall High School, in recognition of for his creative work in encouraging students to learn physics. A Physics teacher and a drama coach, his classes are engaging and enjoyable, while maintaining top standards of academic excellence.


"I am grateful that I was nominated for this award and humbled that I was chosen. I would like to thank all the people who were willing to say such nice things about me and my teaching. This award symbolizes all the amazing people I have worked with and leaned from over the years."

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The 2014 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Dion Skitsko, Mother Margaret Mary High School, in recognition of for his innovative design of physics experiments and demonstrations, and his leading edge use of technology in the classroom.


"This award should go to all of the physics educators in my life who have made the subject come alive for me. I can never repay the debt of gratitude I owe to my mentors, colleagues, and friends who continue to spark my excitement for teaching physics."

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The 2013 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) was not awarded this year.


"This award should go to all of the physics educators in my life who have made the subject come alive for me. I can never repay the debt of gratitude I owe to my mentors, colleagues, and friends who continue to spark my excitement for teaching physics."

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The 2012 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Brian Dentry, Kildonan-East Collegiate, in recognition of for his long-standing accomplishment of propelling students to excellence. In addition to regularly producing winners of high school CAP prize exams, having a very high percentage of his students enter graduate work in physics, and giving a large number of teaching workshops in physics over the years, Brian has had a special concern in encouraging members of under-represented groups to enter physics. His new approach to the curriculum in high school math and physics showed a reduction in the dropout and failure rate from 62% to 10%.


"For this amazing opportunity, thank you. Over the years I have been able to experience the excitement of students discovering and experiencing physics. Initially on a different path in my career, prominent physics professors took time for their students and exposed them to the wonders of physics. Later, this led to my exposure to CAP, Chalk River, TRIUMF, and others. To now receive this award sponsored in part by these same organisations, brings many more opportunities to my students and brings my teaching a full circle"

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The 2011 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Patricia D Mitchler, Kelvin High School (Winnipeg, MB), in recognition of her creative abilities in teaching physics that leads to outstanding student performance. With an exceptional understanding of scientific pedagogy, Patricia has created a climate of learning in the classroom that produces student excellence. Putting as much effort into broad classroom instruction as well as personal mentoring, her students continually place in the provincial top ten in the CAP physics high school prize exam year after year. She is a truly gifted educator, and we are most happy to honour her achievements.


"I am honoured to receive this teaching award for doing something that I love to do so much and I am thrilled to finally have the funds to purchase some long-coveted technology for my classroom! I accept this award on behalf of all my colleagues who work tirelessly to promote student learning."

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The 2010 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to

Barry Edgar, Strathcona High School (Edmonton, AB), in recognition of for his passionate, childlike excitement about communicating physics to students and his breadth of knowledge about the relevance of physics and its impact on society. His many accomplishments include the development of the Physics curriculum in the Advanced Placement program, producing distance education modules, appearing on educational television to teach science, writer of science textbooks, his leadership in the Fluid Power Challenge and Edmonton Science Olympics, his invited presentations at the Alberta Teacher's Association conferences, his mentoring of beginning physics teachers, and his ability to mesmerize students about physics. He is able to coordinate several different classroom learning styles simultaneously, letting as many as 120 students per day choose their own personal style of learning and then ensuring that they accomplish the goals within their chosen style. That so many students return to his school to let him know how he inspired them is a fitting testimony to one of Canada's outstanding physics teachers.

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