Wolf Creek Public Schools (WCPS) has nominated a Rimbey Jr/Sr High School teacher for the 2019 Edwin Parr Award.
Grade 7-9 teacher, Kolt Bell, said he was “happy and shocked” when he found out he was the division’s nominee.
“It would honestly mean so much (to win the award),” said Bell. “I’m just so honoured to even have this chance to be nominated because I put in so much hard work and dedication like even before I started teaching just so I could have that one up on everyone else and it’s really nice to know that it really all paid off now.”
Bell decided to become a teacher after spending his first year of college studying business.
“I wasn’t really enjoying it much, but I started coaching basketball and after coaching basketball for a year I was like you know what, what I really like is hanging out with the kids and teaching them new stuff and that’s just how it started,” he added.
He said he always brings it up to his kids that you never know what you’re going to be when you’re older.
“I remember specifically in Grade 12, I was in math class and I talked to my teacher and I was like ‘I don’t know how you could be a teacher, I couldn’t put up with all these brats’ and now I’m here and loving life and enjoying it,” Bell said.
Bell explained the kids are his favourite part about teaching, saying they make his day every single day.
“It’s a tough job, but they just make it,” continued Bell, who also coaches basketball at the school.
Bell loves teaching at Rimbey Jr/Sr High School because the other staff members are so welcoming, and the students are so respectful and nice.
The Edwin Parr Award is given annually to a first-year teacher in each zone of the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA), who has demonstrated excellence in teaching.
A committee will select one candidate from each zone to win the award and the zone winners move on to compete at a provincial level.
Edwin Parr Award recipients are recognized at the ASBA Fall General Meeting.