2020 Rita Gravina
Rita Gravina, a teacher at the Bishop Strachan School, is the 10th recipient of OJEN’s annual Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educator Award.
Ms. Gravina was nominated by several of her current and former students as well as colleagues from the Bishop Strachan School. A teacher of 24 years, Ms. Gravina has taught Civics, Law, and the Equity and Social Justice courses and has guided students in implementing their own social action plans.
Through involving students in social action plans, mock trials, Model UN summits and inviting them to participate in the shaping of school policy and strategic direction, she inculcates an understanding of the responsibility and potential of democratic citizenship while instilling a sense of personal agency to make a difference. Recently she worked with students to advance greater equity and inclusivity within the diverse student population of Bishop Strachan School.
Her leadership roles have included staff advisor and co-organizer of the You Belong Student Equity Summit, staff advisor of the Holocaust Education Committee, and co-facilitator of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. She is an advisor to. the Model UN Club and co-organizer of our 2018 Model UN Conference. Currently she advises the Bishop Strachan School Mock Trial Law Team.
In recent years, she was also a member of Transgender Policy Committee, advisor to the school’s Moral Courage Task Force, and mentored students in the Global Ideas Institute, an initiative of the Munk School of Global Affairs. Starting in the 2020-21 school year, she will begin a new role of Director of Global Learning. In this position, while continuing to teach Law, she will work closely with teachers and students to focus on ethical citizenship, social action, and social justice issues.