A Cochrane High School teacher has been nominated to receive the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) 'Edwin Parr Award'.

Dustin Whetton is a first-year Performing Arts teacher and says he was thrilled to learn he was picked to represent the division. "As a teacher, you don't often have the opportunity even if you do, do very well to get that type of recognition. It has often been said that teaching is a thankless job so to know that I was nominated for this award is really cool because it's that validation that you picked the right career, you're doing the right thing and that you're somewhere where you can make a difference."

Although Whetton teaches Performing Arts he was heavily involved in sports growing up and would have never been considered a drama type kid. It wasn't until his high school football coach, also a drama teacher encouraged him to explore a different realm. "He invited me out to be part of drama, and what was really cool was for once I felt like I didn't have to put on some type of persona or mask. With drama, I go to be whomever I wanted to be."

Whetton also has a degree in child and youth care counselling and felt the arts, could be a vessel to help kids. "That is what inspired me to go back into theatre and re-explore the techniques, skills and disciplines and then a get an education degree. I really believe that theatre has the ability to help kids grow and help kids lose all the stigmas and labels and just be okay with being themselves, to figure out who they are in this crazy world and to be willing to explore themselves."

Some of his students have been jokingly giving Whetton a hard time about being an 'award-winning' teacher. "When they notice you're being appreciated for something in the arts they too feel appreciated that they are a part of something that is seen as valuable. When the kids see a teacher from the fine arts be acknowledged this way they too feel empowered that I can actually do something in the fine arts and be a part of it."

Nominated by Tracy Lyons, Assistant Administrator, Whetton shares the school community that exists in Cochrane played a large part in his nomination. "Coming to Cochrane and being part of a community of teachers I found that everyone is so supportive and it makes it easier for a new teacher like myself to want to explore, and want to do all these things because you have so many people in this building that want to help you. I think it's really important that the school gets recognized for the award even more so than myself because I believe the people in this building have allowed me to be the teacher I am in this first year and provided me with that support."

Whetton is one of six outstanding first-year teachers being nominated for the Edwin Parr Teacher Award in which school boards may recognize a first-year K to 12 teacher in an Alberta school jurisdiction as well as being a member of the ASBA.