Ian McTavish, teacher at Huntsville High School (HHS), has been honoured for “championing robotics and computer literacy.”
The certificate of achievement is awarded through the Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
In McTavish’s biography on the Government of Canada’s website, it outlines how his numerous accomplishments, notably starting HHS’ For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition team in 2012. It adds McTavish was the first teacher with the Trillium Lakelands District School Board.
Along with robotics, McTavish teaches computer science and technology design for students between grades nine and 12.
He tells the MyMuskokaNow.com newsroom he’s played in a role in helping other schools begin robotics programs and is working on one for First Nations people to the north.
“One of the things I really emphasize with my students is what legacy are you leaving behind,” says McTavish.
Kelly Picken, principal at HHS, credits McTavish for always being forward thinking.
“He has taken our computer science program from one course in 2006 to a fully-fledged program with courses for all grades in computer science and robotics today,” she says.
McTavish explains he was nominated for the award by current students, alumni, and parents. “I was just blown away,” he says referencing when they told him about the nomination last fall. “I thought it was an honour just to have them think I’m worthy of being nominating.”
A few months ago, McTavish received an email he thought was strange asking for his headshot. “I thought it was a joke,” he continues. However, after realizing it wasn’t a cruel prank, he sent off the necessary information, but he was sworn to secrecy until the award winners were announced last week.
He plans to get the certificate framed and hang it in his “man cave” at home, which is surrounded with pictures of the various robotics teams he’s coached over the past 14 years and posters of the handful of HHS theatre productions he’s worked on.
While the certificate has his name in bold text, McTavish credits his students, their parents, his colleagues at HHS, and the many community members who have supported the program.
“This award is a reflection of our community and not just me,” he adds.
His biography written for the award outlines how McTavish has helped guide the HHS robotics team to becoming one of the best in Ontario and encourages students that making mistakes is fine, so long as you learn from them and move forward.
“You just kind of do what you do because it’s the right thing to do,” says McTavish. “Just having this kind of recognition is humbling.”
