A Lake City Secondary school teacher has been awarded the B.C. Retired Teachers' Association Golden Star Award for inspiring dozens of students to interview local seniors and share their stories.
During a presentation held Thursday at the Columneetza campus, BCTRA vice-president Patricia Clough from Salmon Arm awarded community leadership teacher Randy Morgan with the award.
"We only present five of these awards each year for excellence in teaching," Clough said, noting in addition to the award, the school was receiving $1,500. "We hope the program will continue and expand. The money is to help pay for travel or any other needs of the course."
Morgan said 35 students enrolled in his community leadership course during seven different intakes and interviewed local seniors.
The students met with the seniors, asked them a series of questions, saw their photograph collections, and created a PowerPoint presentation, which they shared at a tea event with the seniors.
Some of the seniors who were interviewed live at Glen Arbor, others were connected when the students cut lawns through the Better at Home program co-ordinated by Carrie Sundahl.
On Thursday the final group of students shared their PowerPoints with most of the seniors present.
"This is way better than social studies," one of the students remarked during his presentation.
Another student said he'd learned from his senior friend to "meet life head on and don't be afraid to take risks."
To design the course, Morgan approached his principal last year with a proposal and received the go-ahead.
In the course the students also learned about healthy teen relationships from Jordan Davis, the community's harm reduction co-ordinator with the Boys and Girls Club of Williams Lake, and the students volunteered with the Williams Lake Cycling Club.