Ellement Special Olympics Ontario Educator of the Year
St. Peter educational assistant helped organize 2018 Ontario School Championships in city
St. Peter Secondary School educational assistant Ernie Ellement has been named the Educator of the Year by Special Olympics Ontario.
He received the award Oct. 15 at the Special Olympics Ontario Provincial Sport Awards Banquet held at the Don Valley Hotel in Toronto.
Jake Nelson of the Bracebridge Muskoka Lakes Secondary School was named School Athlete of the Year at the awards ceremony.
Ellement was honoured for his role in helping to organize the 2018 Special Olympics Ontario School Championships that were hosted by Peterborough in May.
“For Special Olympics programs to truly grow and blossom in a community, it often takes a special ‘champion’ to lead the way. In Peterborough. Ernie Ellement was that champion and played a huge role in ensuring the 2018 School Championships were a big success,” the citation for Ellement’s award reads.
Peterborough welcomed more than 1,000 special Olympians, 250 coaches and 300 volunteers from 85 schools across Canada for the event, which included colourful opening ceremonies at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.
Ellement has been a champion of the Special Olympics over the past four years at St. Peter Secondary School.
“It was an absolute honour to receive this award from Special Olympics Ontario,” Ellement told the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic School Board.
“I’m feeling very grateful to have had this opportunity to work with our team here at St. Peter to give all of our champions the opportunity to participate in a sport they love.”