Former Clearwater Secondary School (CSS) teacher Brent Buck was presented with the OWL Award for Excellence in Public Education on June 24 in Kamloops.
“There were 14 nominations, and Mr. Buck was one of two winners of the award," said School District #73 trustee Shelley Sim. "The Clearwater Secondary team came to Kamloops to show their admiration and support. Brent Buck has made all of us better thanks to his example of how he lives life.
"We would like to thank Lisa Fraser for writing his nomination and coordinating the many letters of reference. The application was outstanding and spoke to the many, many ways that Brent has and continues to give to his community.”
Nominated by CSS teacher Lisa Fraser, the school community showed its support at the awards ceremony by wearing "In Buck We Trust" T-shirts. In his nomination package, CSS principal Darren Coats said “Brent’s passion for learning and for instilling a love of learning in others is well known. He is both loved and respected by staff and students alike. I would in fact use the word legendary as an apt description of how he is viewed.”
The board shared the history of Buck’s 40 years as an educator, coach, mentor, and community champion. “Brent Buck has made a profound impact on the students, staff, and the community at Clearwater Secondary School. Mr. Buck started his career in education as an instructor in a pilot forestry program under a letter of permission.
"While attending post-secondary school to complete his Bachelor of Education, Mr. Buck volunteered weekly for three years, offering mentorship in classrooms at Clearwater Secondary and multiple high schools in the district to provide a foundation of forestry education. Due to his leadership, the Forestry Logging Program expanded within and beyond the Kamloops-Thompson School District, with the province recognizing Mr. Buck’s contributions by sharing Board Authorized Authority courses in forestry and outdoor education.”
The nomination states that Buck is a teacher who knew every student’s name, and that his shop classes were known to be welcoming and accessible for all, with the motto “Shop classes are for everyone.” His passion for including the community in projects, and contributing time and expertise to many organizations, instilled communal values in students. Now that he is retired, he continues to contribute as a teacher-on-call in the community.
“Your impact has local and regional effects on public education in your various roles within and beyond the district," said SD73 board chair Heather Grieve. "What was compelling is how you selflessly offered your time, effort, and expertise, even when you were not yet qualified to teach, but helped others refine their practices. Thank you for your service in SD73 and beyond, and for making many students’ and teachers’ lives better through learning about forestry and outdoor education.”
When asked about the award, Buck said that it was truly an honour. "It’s hard to find the words to express how it feels. It’s humbling.”
Annemarie Watts was the other recipient of the award this year, having spent more than 25 years having a local, regional, and provincial impact on students and public education through secondary athletics. Having served as chair of the SD73 Secondary Athletics Council and director of British Columbia School Sports (BCSS), Watts recently received the 2023 BCSS Honour Award, recognizing a lifetime of distinguished service to sports and education.
The annual OWL Award for Excellence in Public Education was started in 2016 by the Board of Education to recognize and honour individuals, groups and organizations that have enriched and advanced public education through their significant contributions throughout the education system.
