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:
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 12, 2026. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions at awardsprix@ojen.ca.
The 2026 Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educator Award was presented to Andrea Lefebvre at the OJEN Summer Law Institute on August 26, 2026. Andrea is a teacher at Chippewa Secondary School in North Bay, part of the Near North District School Board. Several of her nominators remarked on Andrea’s ability to build meaningful partnerships with justice professionals in her community.
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.
Jason Hatch teaches law at Strathroy District Collegiate Institute in the Thames Valley District School Board. He was recognized for his significant impact on the growth and development of justice education in the London area.
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.
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.
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.
Kim Wilson is the 11th recipient of the Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educator Award. Ms. Wilson taught for 30 years before retiring in 2020 from Abbey Park High School, part of the Halton District School Board. Her nominators describe her as passionate about teaching law, and that passion extended well beyond the walls of her classroom.
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.
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.
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.
Kim Wallace has made remarkable contributions in the area of justice education both as Canada and World Studies Coordinator at the Halton District Board of Education and most recently with the Ontario Ministry of Education. She was instrumental, along with Justice Forsythe, Kim Wilson and others, in launching the Halton Mock Trial Tournament in 2004. Kim Wallace is skilled at establishing connections within the community and bridging sectors.
The 2016 Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educator Award is awarded to Danielle McLaughlin. As the Director of Education for the Canadian Civil Liberties Education Trust Ms. McLaughlin has devoted herself to advancing justice education through developing and delivering programs and resources to students and teachers that challenge the way they think and teach about rights and freedoms.
Ian was recognized for his outstanding contributions to justice education while a member of the Peel Justice Education Network and the exemplary role he played in organizing, coordinating and planning Mock Bail Hearings in November and Mock Trial Tournaments in March of each year during his tenure as Instructional Coordinator for Social Studies, Canadian & World Studies, Native Studies and Social Sciences & Humanities.
Kris taught law at Monarch Park Collegiate Institute until her retirement last year. A passionate and innovative educator, Ms Kozell consistently participated in mock trials, frequently taking part in the Toronto Experiential Mock Trial Tournaments, visited courtroom sessions in Toronto court houses, brought lawyers into her classroom through her involvement with the Adopt-a-School program and participated in the initial LAWS program for 2 years.
Shari Blasutti is an educator from the Rainbow District School Board in Sudbury. Ms Blasutti has been recognized for her innovative contributions to teaching secondary school law over a period of nearly 20 years.
Norm Innocente is an educator recently retired from the Windsor- Essex Catholic District School Board. Mr. Innocente was recognized for his contributions to teaching secondary school Law over a remarkable career which spanned 37 years.
The inaugural recipient of OJEN’s Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educators Award is Pat Noble, an educator with the Peel District School Board. Ms Noble has been a trailblazer in the promotion of justice education in Peel Region, developing strong relationships between school and justice communities that support the success of students.
