Margaret Jean Epoch earns Alumni Honour Award

All community members invited to celebrate at free awards event.

The University of Alberta Alumni Association is pleased to announce Ms. Margaret Jean Epoch will receive an Alumni Honour Award for her leadership as a teacher to lead Niton Central School, Niton Junction, Alberta to become the first Canadian elementary school to receive international accreditation with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Associated School Project Network (ASPnet), on Thursday, Sept. 22, at the annual Alumni Awards ceremony.

The Alumni Honour Award recognizes the significant contributions made over a number of years by University of Alberta alumni to their profession, their community, to society at large, or to the University of Alberta.

The phrase “make the world a better place” is used repeatedly when people talk about Margaret Jean Epoch, ’77 BPE, ’97 BEd, ’02 MEd. As a teacher and archivist at a small K-9 school in Niton Junction, Alta., Epoch makes a big difference in the world. Her list of projects, volunteer activities and awards is lengthy. One of her proudest accomplishments is helping make Niton Central School the first Canadian elementary school to be accepted as a member of the Associated Schools Project Network by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The school proudly flies the United Nations flag. Her local volunteer work with students, staff and community members includes Habitat for Humanity, the Terry Fox Run, Aboriginal Achievement Awards, Wigs for Kids, the local food bank and many more programs. Epoch also volunteers with victim services and helped fundraise for the school’s naturalization park. She started a fundraiser to help rebuild a school in India after the 2004 tsunami, and her students sent letters of support to victims after the 9/11 attacks and the shooting of four RCMP officers in Mayerthorpe, Alta.

The Alumni Association invites all community members to celebrate this outstanding alumnus’ accomplishments and those of 26 other award recipients at the 2016 Alumni Awards.

Date: Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016

Location: Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium (11455 87 Ave), Edmonton, Alberta

Time: 7 p.m. - Ceremony with dessert reception to follow

Cost: Free, register for tickets at uab.ca/aw2016

Dress: Business attire

For more information, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 780-492-3224, toll free 1-800-661-2593 or alumni@ualberta.ca