Surrey Centre Elementary teacher wins Project Pencil Case contest by Jack 96.9

A beloved Grade 6/7 teacher at Surrey Centre Elementary is the latest to be recognized by Project Pencil Case, a contest by radio station Jack 96.9 where students nominate their favourite teacher to win $500 for their classroom.

John Kovach said he heard about the contest on the radio while driving to work and thought it would be fun for his class to try - but he didn't expect to have a runaway lead with the votes.

"I told the kids and they did the rest," he said. "After they went home, some of them told their parents about this and they got even more people to nominate me, and it sort of snowballed.

"The producer of the show said I should've run for political office because he'd never seen such a diehard campaign."

While the win may have been a surprise to Kovach, principal Kristen MacDonald said he was deserving of the prize, based on his ability to connect with students and instill responsibility while fostering a mutual trust and respect in the classroom.

"John is a fabulous, upper intermediate teacher," she said. "He has a kind, caring and fun approach with the students and they relate to him so well."

For their efforts, Kovach's classroom received a pizza party, carried out with a COVID-safety plan, and $500 for school supplies.

Kovach said the money will pay for two Chromebooks, with the rest benefiting the school's woodworking program. He said woodworking is a popular class at the school and the money will cover some supplies to complement existing equipment.

"A lot of kids don't have the opportunity to cut wood or learn how to use power tools elsewhere," he said. "The more wood and saws we can buy, the more we can build. The kids really love to cut and sand wood, they can do that for hours."

Congratulations John Kovach on all your hard work! And big thanks to Jack 96.9!