Posted On Thursday October 05, 2023
Ottawa, Ont. - Today, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, announced Canada’s top educators receiving this year’s Prime Minister Awards for Teaching Excellence. These distinguished awards celebrate outstanding educators for their dedication and commitment to their students.
County Councillor Diane Ballantyne, a recently retired teacher who worked at Centre Wellington District High School for 23 years, was selected by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a 2023 recipient for her activism, advocacy for fundamental values.
“Councillor Diane Ballantyne is an inspirational educator who made a real difference in the lives of the students she taught for over 28 years,” said Warden Andy Lennox. “On behalf of County Council and the residents of Wellington County, I would like to congratulate Councillor Ballantyne on this well-deserved award, and thank her for her dedicated service to the Wellington County students she taught.”
“This is a great honour to cap off a deeply rewarding career,” commented Councillor Diane Ballantyne. “The enthusiasm, curiosity and humour of teenagers was a joy to experience over my 28 years in the classroom. I learned so much from them, this award is really for them. Education matters. But sufficiently funded, universally accessible, public education matters more. It has been the honour of my life to be a teacher and this award is a wonderful way to wrap up a much-loved career.”
Councillor Ballantyne was a teacher with the Upper Grand District School Board for 28 years and retired in June.
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Media Contact:
Councillor Diane Ballantyne
T 519.400.9851
E dianeb@welllington.ca