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Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educator Award

This award was named after two of the members 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 and the first Chair of OJEN’s Board of Directors. The Board of Directors established this award in 2011 to honour the foundational role they played in the establishment of OJEN.

The Hux-Kiteley award recognizes an educator in the province of Ontario who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in the area of justice education. The criteria may include:

  • Innovation in justice education
  • Collaborative approaches to teaching about legal issues
  • Promotion of democratic participation
  • Leadership among peers in promoting justice education

The recipient of the Hux-Kiteley award is honoured at OJEN’s Summer Law Institute reception each August.

To nominate someone, please obtain a minimum of two nominating letters that outline the ways in which the nominee has met the award’s criteria. Strong nominations include multiple nomination letters from individuals representing both the education and legal sectors who have knowledge of the nominee's work. We also encourage letters or emails from current or previous students who can speak to the nominee’s impact as an educator. Nominations must be received by Friday, June 7th, 2024.  Feel free to contact us if you have any questions at awardsprix@ojen.ca.

Past Recipients

 

2025 Susan Kasurak

Susan Kasurak, a teacher at Western Technical-Commercial School in the Toronto District School Board, was presented with the 2025 Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educator Award on August 27. Her nominators referred to the popularity of her grade 11 and 12 law courses and the extra-curricular student-led clubs she supports, such as the Mock Trial Club and the Equity Club. She has forged meaningful partnerships with local legal professionals, community organizations, and fellow educators to enrich the learning experience of the students.

2023 Luis Filipe

Luis Filipe, a law teacher from Bloor Collegiate Institute in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) received the 2023 Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educator Award. Since Luis joined the faculty at Bloor Collegiate six years ago, the law program has expanded significantly. From one section of Grade 12 law, which was taught on an alternating year basis, it now includes two to three sections of both Grade 11 and Grade 12 law each year. His nominators cite his knowledge and enthusiasm for law, dedication to his student’s success and gift for engaging and inspiring students for this growth. The extracurricular law club he was instrumental in establishing and leading, has evolved into a prominent club at the school and has produced successful competitive teams for the past several years.

2022 Peter Voight

Throughout his 30 years as an educator, Peter Voight has been committed to providing his students with every possible opportunity for success. When he retired in June from Central Technical School in the Toronto District School Board, he had played a significant role in the lives of thousands of high school students, many of whom credit him with helping them establish their career choices. His commitment to his students led Peter to seek out partnerships and collaborations with organizations that offered unique learning opportunities for youth, including the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN), Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS) and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. He has represented the education community on OJEN’s Toronto Committee for over a decade, contributing to justice education initiatives that engage students throughout the GTA.

2022 Patricia Valeri-Tortis

Patricia Valeri-Tortis started teaching Law at Cathedral High School in the Hamilton Wentworth Catholic District Board of Education in 1999. As a former lawyer, she brings knowledge and understanding of the justice system to the classroom, offering her students keen insight into legal issues. Together with the Honourable Jane Milanetti (retired SCJ), Patricia co-founded the Hamilton Justice Education Network in 2008, remaining active on the committee ever since. Currently she sits as co-chair. In this capacity, she has been instrumental in organizing a wide range of activities for students and teachers throughout Hamilton including professional development workshops for educators, annual Twitter Moots and competitive mock trial tournaments held twice a year at the John Sopinka Courthouse. 

2019 Laura Kirby-McIntosh

Laura Kirby-McIntosh from Cawthra Park Secondary School in the Peel District School Board, became the 9th recipient of OJEN’s annual Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educator Award. Ms. Kirby-McIntosh inspired her students with her own passion for law. In addition to her classroom teaching, she led numerous extra-curricular student clubs, including the mock trial team, social justice and advocacy groups. She is best known for her role in establishing the Charter Challenge program at Cawthra Park. Her nominators referred to the advocacy work she has done on behalf of the Autism community for many years.

2018 Butch Rickeard

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.