Dawn Adamson, Patti Evans and Jonathan Rempel will all have special framed awards to hang in their Langley homes.

They are among 97 Canadian educators who receive Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching Excellence

These are given yearly to teachers who are recognized to instill a love of learning in their students that will help them to excel in their future endeavours.

Certificates of excellence are awarded nationally to the 15 top-ranked teachers, with a cash prize of $5,000.

The next 50 top-ranked nominees each receive a certificate of achievement, which carries a $1,000 cash prize. The financial awards go to the recipient's school.

Langley's Jonathan Rempel teaches English, communications, physical education and work experience for Grades 10 to 12 at the North Surrey Learning Centre. He could not be reached for comment as he was heading back to B.C.

"Rethinking his own points of view, Rempel changed his practice when it wasn't working and now embraces an approach where no student is left behind," said principal Aileen Kinsella. "A teacher in a school where students come from a variety of difficult backgrounds, Rempel will do whatever it takes to get them - and keep them - interested and make learning accessible to all of them."

Dawn Adamson, of the Douglas Park Community Preschool and Childcare, is a petite ball of energy who often has a preschooler with arms wrapped around her. She's no stand-offish administrator type.

She was the co-coordinator of early childhood learning for Langley College and taught it at the college as well as the University of the Fraser Valley. Just over a decade ago, she started the childcare centre and it's since expanded to include an infant and toddler centre.

Her impressive resume includes having written four books, including one on the rights of children.

And it's clear why she's spent decades in education.

"I do love it," Adamson said. "It's my passion, working with children."

The award came as a lovely surprise, recognition for doing what she loves.

And she's been at it long enough to see the results and knows why education is so critical.

"I have actually had people visit who actually attended my preschool," she said.

The Douglas elementary community she serves is a diverse demographic that includes many disadvantaged and immigrant families.

"My work is predominantly with those who are struggling in their lives," she said.

Patti Evans was humbled when her school community at Margaret Stenersen Elementary nominated her.

"I never thought it would go any further," she said. "The parents acknow-leding it was so special."

She's taught kindergarten and Grade 1 for about 27 years.

Born in Ontario, she was raised in the inner city of New Jersey before marrying a B.C. man and starting work in Abbotsford about 20 years ago.

Evans tracks the kids she's taught to see how they do after they leave her class and gets to know where their lives take them, whether it's to university or as in two cases, battles with cancer. She even has former students come back to volunteer for school field trips with current students.

"She represents all the great things teachers contribute and how positively they can affect their students. Parents are thrilled she's being recognized," said her principal, Anna Lisa Osterby-Batryn.

Appropriately, the news got out on Friday (Oct. 5), which is also World Teacher Day.

Teachers unable to attend the Ontario ceremony will be receiving their awards through their local MPs.

- With files from Christina Toth, Abbotsford Times reporter.

hcolpitts@langleyadvance.com