Etobicoke teacher Mieke Nicholson, of Silver Creek Pre-School, was among those honoured as a top teacher.
Four Etobicoke teachers have been awarded the prestigious Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence for positively changing the lives of their students.
“Every year, educators spark curiosity, build confidence and change the lives of their students,” said awards spokesman Eric Dumoulin.
He said The Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence in STEM and Excellence in Early Childhood Education recognize their outstanding contributions.
This year 70 recipients from across the country were honoured with awards for their creativity and dedication.
Chey Cheney (above) and Pawanjit Kaur Wander of Beaumonde Heights Junior Middle School, received PM Awards recognition.
The top Etobicoke educators teach at Beaumonde Heights Junior Middle School, Thistletown Collegiate Institute and Silver Creek Pre-School.
Teachers Chev Cheney and Pawanjit Kaur Wander, of Beaumonde Heights, in the Islington and Finch Aves. W. area, took top honours for teaching excellence.
“Cheney turns student voice into a tool for change,” according to a release. “Through podcasts and media projects, he teaches them to speak up and impact their world.”
Wander puts inclusion and social justice front and center as her students ‘speak up, express themselves, and engage in their community. She shows them their voices can transform society.’
Thistletown’s Keith Hoare is described as making science exciting and accessible to his students.
“His hands-on experiments push his students to think differently,” organizers noted. “His teaching turns curiosity into a driver of success.”
Nicholson was recognized for Excellence in Early Childhood Education, and awakening scientific curiosity through hands-on experiments.
Keith Hoare, of Thistletown Collegiate Institute, was honoured by the PM for Teaching Excellence.
“Her students ask questions, tinker, and discover for themselves. Her classroom becomes a lab of wonder,” they noted.
The Prime Minister’s Awards recognize teachers and early childhood educators for their achievements in education.
Nominations for the 2026 Prime Minister’s Awards are now open and the deadline is January 14.