Glebe Collegiate Institute Teacher Wins National Award for History Teaching Excellence
Jessica McIntyre, a teacher at Glebe Collegiate Institute, has been recognized with the prestigious Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching! This national honour acknowledges her innovative contributions to Project True North, an OCDSB initiative that sheds light on individuals whose voices, stories, and contributions have been missing from common narratives about Canadian history.
Students in Jessica’s history classes became detectives, immersing themselves in primary sources like war diaries, photos and service files. They worked together to uncover the contributions of women who served as nursing sisters, Black Canadians in the No. 2 Construction Battalion and recipients of First World War medals. Jessica encouraged students to think outside the classroom, facilitating collaborations with historians, universities and the Canadian War Museum, and even making connections with descendants of the individuals being researched.
Project True North culminated in documentaries, podcasts and online exhibits, which showcased the students' research and honoured the important contributions of the soldiers and nurses. Jessica believes that "history is stories," and her exceptional work on Project True North ensures that these stories will continue to be told. Congratulations Jessica!
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, presented the award at a ceremony at the Government House in Winnipeg. Congratulations Jessica!
Photo Credit: MS Anne-Marie Brisson, Rideau Hall