Rainbow teacher recognized provincially for justice education

A long-time educator with Rainbow District School Board has been recognized provincially for her exceptional leadership in the area of justice education.  Shari Blasutti, a law teacher at Lockerby Composite School, has received the Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educators’ Award. Andrea Sobko of the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN/ROEJ) presented the award in Sudbury on Friday, October 11, 2013. 

Established in 2002 by the chief justices of the three Ontario Courts, OJEN / ROEJ is a non-profit organization that promotes public understanding, education and dialogue to support a responsive and inclusive justice system.  OJEN / ROEJ’s justice education programs are delivered province wide through a network of hundreds of justice and education sector volunteers.  It also produces teaching resources to secondary school teachers of law and civics that are available in both English and French free of charge on its website.  Over 1,000,000 youth in Ontario have been impacted by OJEN / ROEJ since its founding. For more information about OJEN /ROEJ, visit, www.ojen.ca or www.roej.ca.

The award pays tribute to Shari Blasutti’s leadership role in supporting the Sudbury Mock Trial Competition, which was launched 13 years ago. Madame Justice Patricia C. Hennessy and Shari Blasutti worked together to pilot the very first competition with Lockerby Composite School. The award also recognizes her contribution to teaching excellence and her collaboration with other teachers.

“Students in Rainbow Schools have been participating in the Mock Trial Competition because of dedicated teachers who have worked in partnership with the local legal community to bring the classroom into the courtroom,” said Rainbow District School Board Chair Doreen Dewar. “We thank the legal community for being exceptional role models of professionalism, community service and student success. We commend OJEN for recognizing the importance of experiential learning. We are very proud of Shari Blasutti for her outstanding achievement. She has been involved since the very beginning.”

Madame Justice Patricia C. Hennessy and local lawyer Trevor Kestle nominated Shari Blasutti. “They have commended you on your innovative approach to justice education and your commitment to providing your students with rewarding experiential learning opportunities,” said OJEN Executive Director Sarah McCoubrey in announcing the 2013 award recipient. “They have also mentioned your collaborative approach to teaching and your generosity in sharing your teaching materials with teachers throughout the city.” 

“Justice education is central to a student’s engagement in civic society. The Mock Trial program which Ms. Blasutti has piloted and shepherded over the years enhances the long term ability of these students to access justice as they need it and to be interpreters of the justice system within the communities they will build and sustain,” said Madame Justice Patricia C. Hennessy. “With the enthusiastic support of Shari Blasutti over the past decade, local students have had the opportunity to build relationships within the professional community, and to develop skills they will use throughout their lives.”

The Mock Trial Competition has become a much-anticipated annual event. “Students welcome the opportunity to dress and speak like lawyers in a trial before the Superior Court,” said Shari Blasutti. “Many students have been inspired to pursue studies in the legal field after secondary school.” She added: “It has been a privilege for me to work with members of the local legal community to bring this hands-on learning experience to our students, year after year.” The Mock Trial Competition is well established within the Grade 12 Law curriculum. In addition to meeting curriculum expectations, mock trials develop other skills in students, including public speaking, teamwork, presentation, preparation and critical thinking skills.

The Hux-Kiteley Award is named after two of OJEN’s original Board of Directors whose terms ended in 2010 – Allan Hux, who represented the Ontario History and Social Science Teachers’ Association and Justice Fran Kiteley, who was the Superior Court of Justice representative as well as OJEN’s first Chair. The award was established by OJEN’s Board of Directors in honour of the foundational role both played in establishing the organization. Presented annually to an educator in Ontario, the award recognizes innovation in justice education, collaborative approaches to teaching about legal issues, promotion of democratic participation and leadership among peers in promoting justice education.

-30-

Media Contacts:

Heather Gaffney, Principal, Lockerby Composite School,

Rainbow District School Board, 705-522-1750.

Nadine Demoe, Communications Manager, 

OJEN /ROEJ 416-947-5267.