Who's Who Women in Business

30 who's who women in business Balmoral Hall School a ccording to Greek philosopher Aristotle, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all." Established in 1901, Balmoral Hall School remains committed to advancing girls' education. Through times of change — war and peace, poverty and plenty, fear and hope — educators at the girls' university preparatory school have continued to inspire students to excel, to reach, and to lead. How? They teach their students to love learning. "Conversations with educators lead me to the same conclusions time after time," says Head of School Joanne Kamins. "What we offer as a school, as a community, and as a network is unique. It always has been, and it always will be." Debate and public speaking teacher Carissa Nikkel agrees; at 31, she has spent more than half of her life in Balmoral Hall School classrooms. After graduating as a "lifer" in 2002, Nikkel pursued a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Education, and a Post- Baccalaureate in Education at University of Winnipeg. In 2011, she joined the faculty of her alma mater. She travelled to Ottawa in November 2013 as a member of Manitoba's delegation for a Teachers Institute on Canadian Parliamentary Democracy hosted by Parliament of Canada. An accomplished competitive debater, Nikkel volunteered as a debate and public speaking coach for three years. As of 2014, she teaches debate and public speaking full-time, enthusiastically sharing her expertise with students, as she remains their coach, as well. "I have an exciting opportunity to explain the functions of Parliament in terms of the public impact of decisions made by our representatives," says Nikkel. "Through experience, I am able to support students' learning in various ways. I try to motivate them to be lifelong learners, and I encourage their development as humanitarians." A humanitarian, herself, Nikkel has mentored Ukrainian dancers, advocated for those affected by type 1 diabetes, and chaired Winnipeg's Terry Fox Run at Assiniboine Park, along with other volunteer commitments. "As educators, we eat, sleep, and breathe our jobs because teaching is our passion," she adds. "At Balmoral Hall School, we encourage our students to have that same passion for learning." • Leaders of Tomorrow { girls share loVe of learning at balMoral hall } Balmoral Hall School debate and public speaking teacher Carissa Nikkel leads a discussion. PHOTO By DARCy FINLEy

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