Megan Peters is this year’s recipient of the Kelowna Kiwanis Legacy Major Entrance Award in Education. Established by the Central Okanagan Kiwanis Community Service Society, the award is presented to a student pursuing the Teaching Children (Kindergarten to Grade 5+) pathway.
“This award is truly life changing,” says Megan. “Over the last 11 years I pursued one passion that didn’t leave a lot of financial room to save for my passion for education and becoming a teacher. With this award, it feels like I can take a breath and enjoy this process even more. It also means I can be more available to my children, their schools and my community.”
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Megan Peters’ commitment to education and community started long before her first classroom role. She grew up in the Kootenays, where volunteering was simply part of family life—thanks in large part to her dad, who was deeply involved in local service work through the local Kiwanis Society and other initiatives.
“Since I was little, we always volunteered in our local community. It was very much ‘give back, give back’. Sometimes it was annoying as a kid,” she laughs, “Looking back, it instilled such important values. It showed how you could impact others outside yourself.”
There were Canada Day events, community fairs, visits to seniors’ homes, and one particularly memorable project: helping transform a rocky park into a community soccer field and gathering space.
“He’d bring us down on the little excavator and we’d ‘help’ drag things around and build the fields and the bandshell area,” she recalls. “Now everyone’s out there playing and it’s like, ‘My dad did that.’ We were there. We tried to help, even if we probably weren’t that helpful.”
Those foundational moments stayed with her. Through high school and post-secondary studies, she volunteered with sports teams, led baking clubs for kids, and worked in after-school programs and summer camps. She learned how environments of safety, fun, and care could change a child’s day.
“I had intended to go into the teaching program about a decade ago,” she says. “But life shifted: family illness, financial realities, and the demands of a longer program length made it challenging to commit. I took the Certified Education Assistant program instead, and I just loved it.”
Becoming an education assistant gave her a way to work closely with students and teachers, but also the flexibility she needed at the time.
“I loved being able to be in the classroom and working with a teacher. Looking back, if I would have just jumped into teaching, I don’t think I would have appreciated it as much, or been as passionate as I think I’m going to be now.”
Coming into the Bachelor of Education program, Megan thought she knew what to expect. With more than a decade of experience in schools, she anticipated familiar university coursework and classroom discussions. Instead, she encountered a professional program deeply rooted in reflection, identity, ethics, and the integration of theory and practice.
“It’s so different than I was expecting,” she says. “The takeaways, listening to all the little details. Even the things you think are just ‘filler’ moments, they’re all important in creating that balance and a well-rounded nature of becoming a teacher.”
The program has helped Megan clarify what matters most to her as an educator. Conversations in class, school visits, and in-situ days have all pushed her to consider how she will show up for students and what kind of classroom community she wants to build.
“You’re always thinking about who you are and what you want to represent in your school and community,” she explains. “Your impact isn’t limited to one student or one year.”
Teaching demands both heart and resilience, something she has already begun to experience.
“There will be hard days,” she admits, “but there are so many joys too. Those moments make everything worth it.”
Congratulations Megan Peters!