On Friday, November 23, teacher Gina Wong was recognized for her outstanding work with kindergarteners and was awarded the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence. Wong was honoured by students and staff at her old school Nightingale Elementary.

Wong was nominated for the award for her work integrating technology into the classroom. For the past five years, she worked closely with a teaching inquiry group at David Livingstone Elementary where she's dedicated countless hours to develop innovative and sophisticated ways to use SMARTBoards, Skype, document cameras, the internet, digital cameras, videos and other personal electronic devices to enhance the learning of her kindergarten students.

"Gina is an incredibly generous teacher and colleague, always willing to mentor and involve others in her own teaching and learning," says Monica Lee, a fellow teacher from David Livingstone Elementary. "She has also taught courses at Simon Fraser University in literacy development, mentoring and leadership and digital literacies with emerging technology. In sum, Gina is a consummate educator and mentor."

During the presentation, Wong (surrounded by her family and friends) was serenaded in song by many of her former pupils. She later received the formal certificate from MP Libby Davies and a big hug from principal Jenny Chin Petersen.

Wong now works at the VSB Education Centre as the district's early literacy/early intervention consultant. 

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