Excellence in Education Award

I thought I was just treading water for the past two years, and still think that I was very overwhelmed by the amount of teaching/mentoring that needed to be done, but I was very pleasantly surprised to be awarded a 2015 Excellence in Education award, one of  four given out across Canada this year by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada. The award criteria include commitment to Adventist education, to life long learning, to community involvement, and to mentoring students and other teachers.

 One of my mentors presented the award and concluded her remarks with: "This year, one of Okanagan Adventist Academy's own has been chosen for this honour. This teacher has excelled in all the categories mentioned. She works tirelessly for her students, for Okanagan Adventist Academy, and for her church both local and conference. Anyone who has ever seen her in action at Orchard City Church Vacation Bible School, organizing events like International Supper and the Terry Fox Run, advising and teaching high school students, being the Grade 12 class sponsor, and leading out in Camp Meeting children's divisions for the last 25 years, knows there is no one more deserving of this award than our own Cherri Gerber!" 

It was so nice to be thanked publicly. 

Here are some pictures from this Spring/Summer VBS,camp meeting, and school groups. I'm saving this to remember when I'm tired, discouraged, and don't think the work I do matters.

OKAA high school students and staff posing after our sea kayaking excursion

Grade six and seven science students on our end-of-the-year geology field trip

We tested Mentos in Coke and Diet Coke to see which foamed higher. The VBS students (and volunteers) sure had fun!

I'm reading a story to a group of three-and four-year old children and their parents at camp meeting. I looked up to see a number of my high school students also listening in.