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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 (Ontario) is awarded to

Saara Naudts, Peel Distrct School Board - Mayfield Secondary School, in recognition of her passion and dedication in teaching physics, particularly her use of physics education research and culturally responsive and relevant pedagogies that inform her classroom and inspire her students to pursue physics.


"Receiving this award makes me feel very grateful. I am thankful for the many opportunities to learn about PER from expert physics educators who generously share their experiences. I am indebted to my students for their honest and grounding feedback that is shaping me into the educator I am becoming."

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The 2022 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

Adam Mills, Assumption College Catholic High School, in recognition of his dedication to the development of physics pedagogy and a classroom practice guided by physics education research. Adam’s passion for active learning and student collaboration have had a positive impact on student learning and his students’ interest and achievement in physics. He is also a mentor to other physics teachers through his work with the OAPT and as an Associate Teacher with the University of Windsor, mentoring trainee teachers .


"I am humbled and overjoyed to have been selected as the recipient of the 2022 CAP HS-CEGEP Teaching Award. Providing my students with opportunities for them to discover the tricks of nature is a personal passion and this award has further fuelled that fire."

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The 2021 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

Ashley McCarl-Palmer, Waterloo Collegiate Institute, in recognition of to recognize her passion and dedication to teaching physics, her innovative teaching methods, and her commitment to collaboration and sharing with other teachers.


"I feel so lucky to be among the past winners who are some of the greats in physics teaching."

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The 2020 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

Shawn Brooks, University of Toronto Schools (UTS), in recognition of for advancing the technical capacity for physics education within his school and well beyond, employing a wide range of demonstrations that provide hands on lessons for students. He has had a long record of service to physics education in Ontario including his time as past president, treasurer, and contest director of the Ontario Association of Physics Teachers (OAPT).


"It has been rewarding to support my physics students and my colleagues as they work on their inspirations and innovations. I am grateful to the Canadian Associations of Physicists for considering me and for sponsoring this award."

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The 2019 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

Sarah Torrie, Victoria Park CI, in recognition of for her outstanding efforts in raising the bar for student participation in physics contests, her track record for student participation in physics activities outside of the classroom, and her demonstrable results in increasing participation of female students in physics.


"It is a real honour to be recognized by CAP for doing something that I love. I'm grateful to be a part of such an innovative and supportive community and appreciate all of the engaged students, generous mentors, and inspiring educators I've had the privilege to work with."

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The 2018 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) was not awarded this year.

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The 2017 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

Lisa Cole (Lim-Cole), Durham District School Board, in recognition of her up-to-date pedagogical skills that have enhanced the educational experience and future success of over nearly 70,000 students within the Durham Region and her superb leadership with teachers all over Ontario.


"I feel truly honoured to receive this award and touched to know that students and physics educators wish to recognize the work I do. My inspiration comes from the many amazing educators I work with and the students who continue to wonder and explore the world around them."

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The 2016 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

Christopher Meyer, York Mills Collegiate Institute, in recognition of for his outstanding work in reforming the high school physics curriculum in a manner that has produced demonstrable improvement of student performance over a sustained period.


"It is a thrill to be recognized by the physics community. I thank the people of the OAPT for their mentorship and the University of Toronto physics faculty for their inspiration. Physics education is changing from an art to a science and I have been lucky to be able watch this happen and to share it with others."

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The 2015 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

James Ball, J.F. Ross CVI, in recognition of his mastery at recognizing how individual students learn best. From having students use hand-held whiteboards to draft their ideas and solutions to problems, to using YouTube videos to show physics in the real world, to his leadership in the OAPT, to his mentoring of students in the Sir Isaac Newton OAPT prize exams, to his work in charitable activities, he has shown himself to be an exceptional physics teacher both in and out of the classroom.


"Teaching physics is something that I love to do and am passionate about. To be recognised as being good at something that I love to do is both amazing and humbling at the same time. I would like to thank the selection committee and my colleagues and students who nominated me."

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The 2014 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

Diana Hall, Do Science Tanzania, in recognition of for her excellent outreach work in physics, both within Canada and abroad with the Do Science Tanzania program she initiated..

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The 2013 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

Dave Doucette, Richmond Hill High School, in recognition of for his tireless promotion of Physics Education Research, whose efforts have transformed the practices of teachers across Ontario. Dave is not just a great physics teacher - he is a great teacher of physics teachers. He has given hundreds of workshops and he has provided countless hours of individual mentoring. He has led the resurgence of the Ontario Association of Physics Teachers - doubling conference numbers and developing a summer camp for teachers. His enthusiasm is inspirational, his knowledge profound and his generosity greatly appreciated.


"I am honored to receive the CAP teaching award. Ironically, I was conscripted into physics teaching from other (chemistry) roots. Generous support from physics colleagues ignited an intense passion for learning and teaching this fundamental science. To have this passion so recognized by the Canadian Association of Physicists is humbling. Physics is a treasure I happily share."

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The 2012 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

Olga Michalopoulos, Georgetown District High School, in recognition of for her creative approaches in engaging all students in the study of science in general and physics in particular. Her dynamism motivates all students to become involved in science well beyond the classroom, be it in solar car competitions, Grade 11 and Grade 12 physics contests, or a pilot project with the Canadian Space Agency that allowed students to engage via video conference with the Canadian Space Agency to learn about the physics and engineering of space flight. Olga is always at the creative edge of pedagogy, and is a genuine motivator of students in physics.


"I am humbled and deeply honoured to receive this national award from CAP for teaching high school physics. I have always been passionate about physics. I have also been fortunate and privileged to work with many outstanding colleagues who have continued to support me and help me grow as an educator. I thank them all. Most importantly, I want to thank my students for continuing to inspire me over the years and allowing me to touch the future"

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The 2011 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

Glenn Wagner, Centre Wellington DHS (Centre Wellington, ON), in recognition of his skill at using differentiated teaching methods to significantly improve student performance. Glenn has established himself as a teacher that draws students into physics. A master at differentiated instruction, Glenn incorporates a broad range of teaching strategies such as peer instruction, interdependent group work, concept mapping, and problem-based learning methods in his classroom. With a track record of turning poor student performance into strong student accomplishment, Glenn has also the author of several research papers on Physics teaching. Well done, Glenn!.


"What a wonderful surprise to be chosen as this year's winner of the CAP's HS Physics Teaching Award for Ontario. Winning such an award happens when one can build collaborations with many excellent teachers and researchers in the field of physics education research. To these dedicated professionals I say thank you for helping to make learning physics a fun and authentic experience for our students."

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The 2010 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Ontario) is awarded to

Roberta Tevlin, Danforth Collegiate & Technical Institute (Toronto, ON), in recognition of for her work as a pioneer in innovative teaching methods in physics that have influenced not only the students she interacts with year after year, but also many physics teachers in the Ontario region and beyond. For students she will provide "hands-on" learning experiences in physics that include devising ways of getting an LP record to move down a corridor at maximal speed and modelling a quantum eraser. For teachers she has given numerous presentations at workshops that have encouraged them to move from a passive teacher-centred approach to an active student-centred one. She has shown outstanding leadership in organizing science fairs, mentoring teachers, running physics camps, speaking at teacher workshops, and writing journal articles about physics teaching. Her tireless energy and innovative pedagogical approach to physics teaching make her a worthy recipient of the CAP High School/CEGEP Physics Teacher Award.

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