A teacher at Kennebecasis Valley High School (KVHS) is being honoured for her efforts to recognize student and staff achievements.
Melissa Wright is the first Canadian educator to be inducted into the Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame.
“I don’t know if I can actually put it into words how it feels, it’s actually quite surreal still,” said Wright in a Wednesday interview.
“I’m very honoured and grateful for the recognition, but really what we do doesn’t happen without our student team.”
The Jostens Renaissance Education program improves school culture and climate globally by recognizing students and staff for their achievements in and out of the classroom.
According to Jostens, the hall of fame honour is presented to teachers who “demonstrate exceptional leadership by improving a school’s climate and culture” and make “a significant impact in supporting the Jostens Renaissance Education program.”
“This award is designed to recognize the passion and dedication of educators who are a driving force in impacting students’ academic performance and character,” said Mike Wolf, vice-president of Jostens Renaissance Education, in a news release.
“Melissa has certainly demonstrated that at Kennebecasis Valley High School and in numerous international virtual experiences over the past two years. We look forward to celebrating her accomplishments at JRGC this July.”
Wright first heard about the program when she was a student-teacher at Fundy High School in St. George. She has fronted the program at KVHS since 2006.
Some of the ways KVHS Renaissance promotes a positive environment include an academic excellence club, a birthday club and a teacher appreciation club.
Wright learned about her Hall of Fame induction during a ceremony last week. The school recognized students who improved in any aspect of school.
She said a little recognition goes a long way, adding that student behaviour improves when their achievements are recognized.
“I love to see … the joy in people’s faces when they do get recognized because a lot of times, they don’t expect it to happen,” said Wright.
“They’re nominated by their teachers and they don’t usually know who nominated them, but sometimes it’s just that little [thought of], ‘oh, my goodness, somebody saw me in this building and knows that I’m here,’ and it just keeps them going.”
Wright will fly to Orlando, Florida to accept her honour at the 29th annual Jostens Renaissance Global Conference from July 17 to 20.
