The 2018 Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educator Award was presented to Philip (Butch) Rickeard from Leamington District Secondary School at a reception on August 28th.
Mr. Rickeard was recognized for his innovation in teaching law, connecting students to professionals in a wide variety of justice occupations and providing them with experiential learning opportunities that bring law to life.
He has shown leadership in promoting mock trials throughout the Greater Essex County District School Board. Not only has he developed a successful mock trial team at his school, he also promotes mock trials to other law teachers. He has led presentations on how to conduct mock trials at professional development sessions organized by the school board.
“Many law teachers, myself included, have been hesitant to conduct mock trials in their classroom because the scope of this activity seems overwhelming. Butch has been very good at breaking down this daunting task into smaller, manageable steps to inspire confidence,” says colleague, Sean Miller.
Representing the Greater Essex County District School Board on the Windsor OJEN Committee, Mr. Rickeard was instrumental in planning and implementing last year’s Windsor-Essex Law Institute; the first time public and Catholic teachers have participated together in law-related professional development in eleven years.
Mr. Rickeard continually seeks out professional development opportunities for himself and often shares his learning with other teachers at board professional development sessions or at OHASSTA conferences.
The Hux-Kiteley award recognizes an Ontario educator who has demonstrated leadership in the area of justice education. It is named after two of OJEN’s original Board of Directors; Allan Hux, who represented Ontario History and Social Science Teachers’ Association and Justice Fran Kiteley, who was the Superior Court of Justice representative as well as OJEN’s first Chair. This annual award was established by the OJEN Board of Directors in honour of the foundational role both played in establishing OJEN.
Mr. Rickeard is the eighth recipient of this award.