Canada in Final 10 for Varkey Foundation US$1 million Global Teacher Prize 2017 in the person of Maggie MacDonald from Northern Quebec
Prince Harry pays tribute to teachers in a video message as top ten finalists of Global Teacher Prize are announced
Maggie MacDonnell, from Ikusik School in Salluit, Nunavik, northern Quebec, Canada, has been named a top 10 finalist for the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2017, which is announced today at www.globalteacherprize.org
Now in its third year, the US $1 million award is the largest prize of its kind, and was set up to recognize one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society. By unearthing thousands of stories of heroes that have transformed young people’s lives, the prize hopes to bring to life the exceptional work of millions of teachers all over the world.
In a video message, Prince Harry paid tribute to the work of teachers around the world on the day the top ten finalists were announced. Prince Harry said:
“In addition to reading, writing and arithmetic, the very best teachers go beyond the pages of textbooks to teach young people about determination, aspiration, resilience and compassion. We will all face setbacks and challenges in our lives and our teachers play a vital role in preparing us for these ups and downs.
The Finalists
“The finalists for this year’s Global Teacher Prize are from every corner of the world – from the Canadian Arctic to Kenya and Pakistan. But there’s one thing they all have in common – they spark curiosity within a child and nurture the dreams that can change our world for the better.
“I would like to end by congratulating all of the finalists; you are not just exceptional teachers, you are the role models who support, inspire and shape children’s lives. Your work is so important; I don’t believe it is an exaggeration to say that you are shaping the future”.
The top ten have been narrowed down from 20,000 nominations and applications from 179 countries around the world. By highlighting their stories the Varkey Foundation hopes that the public will be able to join in passionate debates about the importance of teachers. The winner will be announced at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai on Sunday 19 March 2017.
Maggie MacDonnell has been a teacher Ikusik School which is part of the Kativik School Board, nestled in the Canadian Arctic, for six years. This remote Inuit village location, only accessible by plane, has just 1% of its population attending college-level programs, with teenage pregnancies and young male suicides common. In an area of high deprivation, isolation and limited resources, teenagers often turn to drinking and smoking, even drugs and self-harm, as forms of escape and release.
To help combat this Maggie established a fitness centre and out of that grew a running club with seven members she trained to enter a half marathon in Hawaii. The fitness centre has become a hub for youth and adults in the local community who are embracing a healthier lifestyle. It is relieving stress, helping young people grow stronger physically and mentally and bringing the whole community together in a profound and lasting way.
Maggie has created life-skills programs in the community, which have seen a 500% increase in school registration for girls on these programs. Student programs she has instigated include a healthy eating program feeding 150 students a day, a community-based bike mechanic program, a thrift store and the first-ever student-run coffee shop in the village, which have all helped them and the wider community. In recognition of these efforts, in June 2016 she was presented with a personal award by the Governor General of Canada.
Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation, said:
“I want to congratulate Maggie MacDonnell for being selected as a top ten finalist from such a huge number of talented and dedicated teachers. I hope her story will inspire those looking to enter the teaching profession and also shine a powerful spotlight on the incredible work teachers do all over Canada and throughout the world every day.
“The thousands of nominations and applications we received from every corner of the planet is testimony to the achievements of teachers and the enormous impact they have on all of our lives.”
- The other nine finalists for the Global Teacher prize 2017 are:
Raymond Chambers, a computer science teacher from Brooke Weston Academy in Corby, Northamptonshire - Salima Begum, Headteacher at Elementary College for Women Gilgit, Pakistan David Calle, from Madrid, Spain, the founder and creator of the Unicoos educational website
- Wemerson da Silva Nogueira, a science teacher at the Escola Antônio dos Santos Neves in Boa Esperança, Brazil
- Marie-Christine Ghanbari Jahromi, a physical education, maths and German teacher at Gesamtschule Gescher school, in Gescher, Germany
- Tracy-Ann Hall, an automotive technology teacher at Jonathan Grant High School in Spanish Town, Jamaica
- Ken Silburn, a science teacher at Casula High School, south-west Sydney, Australia
- Yang Boya, a psychology teacher at The Affiliated Middle School of Kunming Teachers College, China
- Michael Wamaya, a dance teacher from Mathare, Nairobi, Kenya
- Further information about the top 10 shortlist will be available from 22 February at:
- http://www.globalteacherprize.org. To join the conversation online follow #TeachersMatter on: https://twitter.com/TeacherPrizeand https://www.facebook.com/teacherprize
Watch YouTube documentary on Maggie’s Salluit Run Club