Harmony Educator Award
The Harmony Educator Award is given annually to recognize educators who are actively engaged in promoting diversity and eradicating discrimination within their schools and communities. 2008 marked the inaugural presentation of this award at the Harmony Award Banquet.
Click here to nominate an educator in your school or community!
Nominations are due on Friday, October 1, 2010. Completed nomination forms can be faxed (416.385.2644), emailed (info@harmony.ca), or sent by post to Harmony Movement.
2009 Educator Award
Beverley Muir
Principal, Humberwood Downs Jr. Middle Academy, Toronto District School Board
By Trevor Ludski
Every now and again someone comes along that one can call a ‘kindred spirit’ because this person shares in the same deeply held beliefs about social justice issues. This person believes that when we travel on this journey together it is important to share in each other stories.
Beverley Muir was born and raised in Toronto, and obtained an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto in Greek and Linguistics and a Master’s of Education degree from OISE. She spent a significant portion of her teaching career working with gifted students and their families before becoming the Chief Consultant for Gifted Programs for the former North York Board of Education. Beverley taught the Special Education (Gifted) Additional Qualification course at York University for ten years.
When Beverley Muir was appointed vice principal of a school in Toronto’s Jane and Finch area, she embarked on a remarkable journey of personal growth and awareness. One day she attended court in order to see for herself exactly what was happening to our most needy children and was moved deeply and irrevocably by the sight of young man after young man “drifting from us.”
Beverley is the principal at Humberwood Downs Junior Middle Academy, a K-8 school of over a thousand children. She successfully engages her community by partnering with Black and East Indian families and community organizations on issues that are relevant to their children and their understanding of the school system. Educators from all over the world visit the school. Among the messages they take back with them is the critical role equity plays in student success.
Beverley has chaired and co-chaired the Family of Schools Equity Team, has served as the Principal representative on the Toronto-Nunavut School Twinning Program with the former Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, the Honourable James K. Bartleman, is a member of Prison Fellowship and of Teen Challenge, and has also volunteered her summer vacations to do ESL work at the West Detention Centre in Toronto.
As point person for the Toronto-Nunavut School Twinning Program, she travelled to a remote arctic community, Resolute Bay, where she shared in the life of the school and the community. Over the years Beverley has collaborated with Harmony Movement because she believes deeply in working with community organizations and groups to achieve her school’s equity goals.
An exemplary educator and an inspiration to countless educators and families, Beverley Muir has touched the lives of thousands of children. Harmony Movement is honoured to present her with the Harmony Educator Award for 2009.
2009 Harmony Leadership in Education Award
Christopher D’Souza
York University
By Yasmin Razack
Chris D’Souza has been an educator for over twenty years at Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, as a teacher and as its Equity and Diversity Officer. During his tenure at the school board, Chris has conducted over 1,500 lectures and workshops with a focus on human rights and inclusion.
I first met Chris at an AMENO Conference in 2003 when I was with the Harmony Movement. I attended Chris’ workshop and was blown away at his ability to make every single person in the room engaged with issues of diversity, equity and the “power of one.” His message was clear: one voice, one action, one thought can start a movement.
Once our conversation on the goals and mission of my organization, Chris said, “We’ve got to get Harmony in our schools.” He was not lying. With his help, we piloted our Diversity Leadership Certificate Program at St. Francis Xavier. Chris was instrumental in getting our programs into his schools because he believed in our work and its positive impact on youth. This was the beginning of a very special partnership between Chris and Harmony.
Chris is the author of Empowerism: A Lifestyle Guide to Environmental Ethics, which took me only hours to read because it speaks volumes to the objectives of our work at Harmony. So I ordered boxes and boxes of his books to give to each student in our program. As a bonus, Chris offered speak in person to our students about the book and the important issues contained in it. The youth were so moved by what he had to say that he was able to empower them to make a positive impact in their respective communities.
Chris is currently teaching in the Faculty of Education at York University and conducts professional development for health care facilities, law enforcement agencies and school boards in the province. He is also the author of a children’s storybook Why are all the Taxi-Drivers…? As the proud father of Dakota, Cadence and Jamie, I’m sure Chris reads to his children every night and looks forward to a society where they can grow up free from bias and discrimination.
Exactly how much Chris D’Souza has helped advance the goals and mission of the Harmony Movement cannot be measured. It is unprecedented how he has relentlessly advocated on our behalf through his dedication and commitment. He truly deserves this year’s Harmony Leadership in Education Award.
2008 Educator Award
Sharon Copeland
Teacher, Wilshire Elementary School, York District School Board
Sharon Copeland (nee Stein) received her Bachelor of Education from the University of Windsor in 1989 and has taught kindergarten, grade one and grade three. Sharon also studied at York University and spent a year studying, with her sister, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel.
For the past six years, Sharon taught a primary autism class at Wilshire, supporting and developing the social, educational and communication skills of students with autism. While Sharon displays an exceptional ability to work with autistic children, most impressive is her commitment to integrating these children into a holistic learning environment that ensures that all children in the school have an understanding and sensitivity to children with special needs.
Sharon has been involved in fundraising for Autism Speaks, an international charity that raises funds for biomedical research, treatment and support for those who live with autism spectrum disorders. She contributed to the creation of Autism Speaks’ School and Community Tool Kit, which assists members of the school and community in understanding and supporting children with autism.
Sharon has been very fortunate to work with several phenomenal colleagues who have been an equal part of creating the type of classroom that leads to success for all children, and a principal, Mary Cousens, who encourages teachers to think “outside of the box” to best support children and their families. Sharon is married and is the proud mother of two daughters, ages 11 and 14.
2008 Harmony Leadership in Education Award
John Morrison
Principal, Anderson Collegiate, Durham District School Board
John Morrison is the founder of Culture of Peace Program. This student-driven program has provided a safe haven and springboard for action for many students who have been victimized, while also providing a platform for leadership development and social action for thousands of others. Embedding a commitment to diversity, equity and human rights into the central narrative of his school has been one of John’s primary goals. John and the staff of Anderson have presented this model across southern Ontario and many schools have adopted this highly effective approach to student empowerment. As a result of John’s influence, five current and past students from three different schools where John was principal have received June Callwood Harmony Scholarships.
