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HUDSON’S HOPE, B.C. — Classroom Champions honoured Hudson’s Hope School teacher Suzy Bach for her creative leadership and dedication to students’ physical and wellness.
Classroom Champions is a social and emotional learning program that teams elite athlete mentors with classrooms across North America.
Bach has taught at Hudson’s Hope School since it opened in 1994.
Currently, she teaches a grades 1 and 2 combined class and has advocated for Classroom Champions for the last few years after taking it over from her fellow teacher Cheryl Baytaluk.
“It is a program that teaches children how to be successful in life, the skills that they need, starting with goal setting,” Bach explained.
“What is a goal, and how do we achieve them? Learning to break them up into smaller goals, to a larger one.”
The program also teaches students the importance of being a community member in the school and their town.
“Learning teamwork, working as a team, being successful together, giving feedback, not criticism, but positive feedback in a way that we help others,” Bach said.
The students will end the year learning about leadership.
“It’s an amazing program, and it hooks right into our B.C. curriculum core competencies,” Bach said.
“I highly recommend it for any teacher who wants to get involved with an absolutely amazing program that supports our kids all the way along.”
Students had the opportunity to meet the program’s athlete mentor and Team Canada bobsleigh pilot, Orion Edwards.
“It has a platform that athletes can film videos on social and emotional learning, such as teamwork, perseverance, responding to adversity, goal setting, and getting involved in the community,” Edwards said.
This year’s Classroom Champions event had a surprise in store for Bach.
In an assembly, and unbeknownst to Bach, Edwards presented the teacher with the Energizing Communities Champion award for her creative leadership and dedication to student physical and mental wellness.
Edwards said it was great to be a part of Bach’s story and the legacy she left in the community of Hudson’s Hope.
Derrek Beam, Hudson’s Hope School’s principal, says Bach has been a teacher in Hudson’s Hope for almost 50 years.
“Over that time, she has touched the lives of hundreds of students and has helped so many develop their reading and writing skills,” Beam said.
“An avid scientist, Mrs. Bach has ignited students’ interest with wonderful hands-on opportunities every year.”
According to Beam, Bach engages her students in a variety of learning experiences throughout the curriculum, such as hatching baby chicks and butterflies and creating pond habitats.
“Mrs. Bach and her young students have planted, tended, harvested, and beautified the Dale Stark Memorial Garden for many, many years,” Beam said.
The principal called Bach “a true Classroom and Community Champion.”
Upon accepting her award, Bach thanked students and faculty for the privilege of being able to teach them to be a part of the community for almost 50 years.
“You have all really enriched my life,” said Bach.
“I’m so proud of every single one of you. Hundred of you have been my kids, and I’ve loved you all.”
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