Darla O'Reilly

Year: 2010-2011 – Province: Newfoundland and Labrador

Certificate of Achievement Recipient

Holy Trinity High School
23 Lynch’s Lane
Torbay, NL A1K 1A6

Principal: Andrew Hickey
School Tel.: 709-437-5563
School Fax: 709-437-5563
School Email: andrewhickey@esdnl.ca
School Website: www.hths.k12.nf.ca

Subjects and grades taught: Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Science for grades 11 and 12

Teaching approach

Jaws drop and so do eggs in Darla O’Reilly’s classroom. Teaching mechanics by having students create a device to prevent an egg from breaking after being dropped out of a second story window is just one of the innovative exercises that keep students wanting more. Reilly’s engaging and creative style extends from the classroom into the real world. She inspires students to make a difference and have fun doing it.

Outstanding Achievements

• Ms. O’Reilly was first among her colleagues to implement the use of clickers and a SMART Board in her classroom.
• As the leader of the Friends of the Gully (FOG) – a student environmental group – Ms. O’Reilly mentors students to become involved in a wide range of environmental pursuits. The award winning video production by members of the FOG committee was selected by Eco Canada in 2010 as a winner in a national video contest.
• Under Ms. O’Reilly’s guidance, students at Holy Trinity High School began participating in the yearly Provincial Envirothon competition.
• One of Ms. O’Reilly’s students was selected as the provincial representative for the British Council’s Cape Farewell Youth Climate Change Arctic Voyage in 2008. Holy Trinity High School was one of 15 schools in Canada to participate and the only one in the province.

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