WESTLOCK – The Pembina Hills School Division is honouring a pair of R.F. Staples Secondary School teachers as exceptional educators.
Wade Hicks and Lalenya Gasse were named last week as recipients of the Exemplary Teacher Award by the Pembina Hills School Division.
Hicks is the senior physical education teacher at R.F. Staples, and the Exemplary Awards Recognition Committee presented him with the award for the positive contributions he makes to his school and community.
“Wade Hicks is a beacon of dedication and passion and has illuminated the halls of R.F. Staples Secondary School (RFS) for more than four years,” the announcement reads. “In his relatively short time at the school, he has made an indelible mark on the lives of countless students, colleagues and the community.”
The announcement also acknowledges Hicks as an energetic advocate for student welfare who has taken extra care to understand the damaging impact of the COVID pandemic on youth mental health. He is known for encouraging students in physical education to improve their physical and mental health connection.
His initiative has led to a noteworthy increase in participation rates, particularly in basketball, where he has nearly tripled the number of students involved. Under Hicks’s guidance, the RFS senior girls team achieved provincial standings for the first time in over 50 years.
The committee also lauded Hicks as a tireless school community volunteer and a mentor and role model for RFS students.
The other honouree, Lalenya Gasse, teaches senior English and film studies at R.F. Staples and is being recognized for school and community contributions.
The committee’s announcement credits Gasse with creating a colourful and creative learning environment where she ignites learning in her students. It says she combines challenging academics with inventive relatable activities for students that align pop culture elements and imagination to make learning meaning and memorable.
Like Hicks, Gasse is also heavily involved in extracurricular activities, including as director of acclaimed Dream Merchant Theatre productions, where her passion for the school community connects the fabric of theatre across classrooms and schools.
The announcement credits Gasse as a valued colleague and mentor who is generous with her time and attention, particularly in her support of students pursuing post-secondary education choices.
The committee notes Gasse’s ongoing commitment to education. She is invested in the success of each of her students and in her own, mostly recently pursuing a master’s degree in counselling to better support the holistic needs of her students.
