Charlie Lake Elementary kindergarten teacher named October’s Pita Pit Teacher of the Month

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A Kindergarten teacher who organizes local charitable projects has been named October’s Pita Pit Teacher of the Month.

Cara McCabe, who teaches at Charlie Lake Elementary, said she feels humbled by the honour.

“It feels very humbling,” she told Energeticcity.ca. “I wasn’t expecting it, that’s for sure.”

According to McCabe, teaching has been a lifelong calling.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a time in my life when I haven’t wanted to be a teacher,” she said. “I used to make my little brother play school with me nonstop. My mom said it was because I was bossy, but I think I just loved it.”

After teaching for a few years early in her career, McCabe took time off to raise her children before returning to the classroom in 2014.

For her, the most rewarding part of teaching comes from the trust families place in her every day.

“Every morning, a parent gets up and gets their kid ready for school, and I acknowledge that they’re sending me their entire world,” McCabe said. “It’s an honour and a privilege to be able to spend my days with those kids.”

McCabe organizes numerous charitable projects through what she calls the “kindergarten kindness project,” which teaches empathy and giving back.

Her class makes homemade Valentine’s cards and delivers them to local seniors, the Fort St. John Women’s Resource Society and school district staff.  They’ve also held fundraisers for the SPCA and Women’s Resource Society and taken part in neighbourhood cleanups.

“I think one of the most important things to teach kids is empathy and kindness,” McCabe explained. “So I incorporate that into my teaching.”

In 2023, McCabe also organized a GoFundMe for the Johnsen family, who lost their Charlie Lake home in a fire.

Her nomination letter described McCabe as “an outstanding kindergarten teacher and an amazing human,” praising her for “always going above and beyond” for her students and community.

Congratulations to Cara McCabe, October’s Pita Pit Teacher of the Month.

The monthly event is part of Moose Media and Pita Pit Canada’s mission to honour teachers in the community. Each month, the winner receives a $100 gift card and is highlighted in an article on Energeticcity.ca.

Anyone looking to nominate a teacher who deserves recognition can do so here.