The staff and students of Catholic Central High School were in perfect harmony when they won not one but two Harmony Education Foundation Awards.

The Harmony Awards are given to those who promote equity and diversity in their communities and in the classroom. The foundation awarded Catholic Central the 2018 School of the Year award and named Catholic Central teacher David Walls as the 2018 Teacher of the Year.

“Catholic Central is one of the most diverse schools in the country and we pride ourselves on our inclusive approach to education,” said principal Danielle Desjardins-Koloff. “So we do everything we can to identify their needs and goals, help them find their voices, and to become advocates for themselves.”

The school is located in the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board and is unique in that 70% of their students are English language learners. Catholic Central has gone the extra mile to makes sure that students feel welcome and inspired by establishing to assist students with community building.

The most notable of these clubs are the Dare to Dream CommUNITY Project, which helps newly arrived Syrian girls build their self-esteem through community involvement, and the African-Canadian Cultural Experience, a club that inspires Black students to follow their dreams and which veteran teacher Walls is an integral part of.

David Walls and eight of his students will be travelling to Toronto this November to receive the awards for their outstanding work at the Harmony Awards Gala.

Help us celebrate the extraordinarily inspiring staff and students of Catholic Central High School, who are doing their part to promote equity and diversity in their community.