Crocus Plains teacher receives Prime Minister’s Award

A Brandon high school physics teacher has been recognized among 60 educators across Canada with a 2026 Prime Minister’s Award.

The award, which was presented Oct. 5, honours elementary and secondary school teachers in all disciplines for outstanding achievement in education and their commitment to preparing youth for a digital and innovation-based economy.

Christopher Sarkonak, who teaches Grades 9-12 physics and science at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School, received a certificate of achievement for teaching excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

“It’s a tremendous recognition (for) everything that I’ve done over the last 17 years, trying to make our school a better place, and trying to give students opportunities that they can’t find anywhere else, and trying to bring experiences that I’ve been fortunate enough to have into the classroom, and use them to inspire students.” Sarkonak, 42, told the Sun Monday.

The alumnus of Crocus Plains said colleagues and a student nominated him for the award.

The federal government website described Sarkonak as a “seasoned physics educator (who) inspires students to think beyond formulas and tackle complex problems with confidence” and “transforms science learning through advanced experiments and student-led research, expanding enrolment and guiding students to national competitions, major scholarships and cutting-edge research opportunities.”

The teacher said he has worked “very, very hard” to try to show that there are different approaches to learning that can result in students being extremely successful.

“They can still handle very difficult standardized exams, and be prepared for university, without having to sacrifice themselves to go ahead and get there,” he said.

Sarkonak has also helped establish a STEM club at Crocus Plains, beginning with a STEM for Girls Week aimed at encouraging more girls to pursue STEM fields. He has also been working with École secondaire Neelin High School as it explores establishing its own STEM club.

His students have taken part in opportunities such as the beamline program and the Westman Regional Science Fair, while Sarkonak said he has brought experiences from his own professional development into his classroom.

“That’s also been such a dominant part of my life,” Sarkonak said of STEM. “I so desperately wanted to teach physics that I waited for half my career for a physics position to open up in Brandon.”

One of his goals is to show students that STEM can extend beyond textbooks and examinations.

“It’s the ultimate dream of a teacher, I think, to be able to inspire and to see where kids can go with it,” he said.

He is also pursuing a PhD at the University of Manitoba, researching education and assessment, with the goal of finding ways to influence teaching beyond his own classroom.

“I want to try and make as big of an impact for students as I can,” he said.

Sarkonak said his long-term goal is to help more educators rethink how students learn and are assessed.

“I want education to look different than the traditional,” he said. “I want things to be about collaboration and deep learning and exploring your passions and not just getting ready for the next test.”

Sarkonak’s recognition comes during a year in which he has received another major teaching honour.

In the spring, he received the Robert E. Jaeger Award for Exemplary Teaching from the U.S.-based National Science Teaching Association, an award presented once every four years to a Canadian educator.

A few years ago, he said, he became the first Canadian high school teacher selected through direct entry to attend CERN’s international high school teacher program in Geneva, Switzerland.

CERN comes from its original French provisional council title, Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire.

Sarkonak said he does not pursue teaching for recognition, but for the impact it can have on students.

“I don’t think teachers do it for the recognition,” he said. “I think we do it because we want to make kids’ lives better and do what we can for our communities and for the people around us.”

The Prime Minister’s Award recognizes educators in three categories: teaching excellence, teaching excellence in STEM and excellence in early childhood education.

Other certificate of achievement recipients in the STEM category include Mackenzie Whicker and the team of Hawra Khalaf, Uswa Riaz and Fizzah Aleem in Alberta; Eagle Kai Chi Chan, Jillian Fraser and Darcie Ramsey in British Columbia; Tanisha Thompson in New Brunswick; Natasha Green and Corey Green in Newfoundland and Labrador; Kali Brasseur in the Northwest Territories; and Karen Kozma and Tharsini Manivannan in Ontario.

The recipients were selected from 221 nominations across Canada.

» aodutola@brandonsun.com

» X: @AbiolaOdutola