On Dec.7 during a school assembly at Spring Creek, Whister teacher Sandra Epplett received the National Excellence Award for Teachers from Heritage Education Funds Inc.
The NEAT awards program, which began in 2003, recognizes teachers across Canada who have demonstrated amazing teaching skills.
Epplett is known for has going above what is expected of any teacher. She organizes track and field, fundraises for grad, and she started a leadership program and volunteers for the RCMP victim support service.
“I was pretty shocked and I kept saying ‘thank you’ because I didn’t really understand what the award was about,” the Grades 1 and 2 teacher said about the moment she found out she had won.
Epplett recieved $5,000 in award money. This award also had great significance since it was the first time the award was presented to a teacher in the Sea to Sky region, and only one award is presented in the B.C. and Yukon region each year.
Jacqui Tyler, a secretary at Spring Creek and a longtime colleague and friend of Epplett stated:
“I think the reason Sandra was nominated is because she cares and she always keeps in touch with the parents to try to make those children’s lives better in school.”
