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CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS

CASLI Awards

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This page contains the following information regarding CASLI awards:

R.W. Letourneau Service Award

David Still Memorial IEP Graduating Student Award


President's Award


Edward C. Bealer Award of Merit

History

Excerpt of article originally published in the AVLIC News, Volume 4, No.3, October, 1986

By Marie Clarke and Terry Janzen

Edward Charles Bealer, 1949-1977


Ted Bealer was born on December 8, 1949, to a deaf father and deaf-blind mother. After completing high school in Rockford, Illinois, he attended Douglas College in New Westminster, BC, and Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC. Ted studied honours History, was actively involved as editor of the student newspaper and attended several film workshops.

In 1974, Ted moved to Toronto and, while continuing his work in production and film making, became involved as an interpreter and sign language instructor at Silent Voice, occasionally interpreting for the Canadian Hearing Society.

On December 15, 1975, Ted became a full time employee at CHS. Although he was hired as a "Rehabilitation Counselor”, he found himself filling the ever-increasing need as an interpreter. He was very much involved on various committees and activities in the deaf community and was the first full time interpreter in Ontario.

Ted was instrumental in submitting a proposal to the Ontario provincial government to obtain funds for the establishment of the Ontario Interpreting Services. The proposal was accepted and funding became available after his death. He also recognized that many staff members at CHS did not have easy access to sign language classes in the community and provided lunch hour classes for these people.

On May 21, 1977, Ted Bealer was killed in a car accident while driving home from interpreting at a wedding in Rochester, New York. His passenger, a 23-year-old deaf man by the name of Brian Harvey, was also killed.

Ted Bealer was perceived by both the deaf and hearing communities as being extremely dedicated and hard working, while at the same time, easy going and down to earth. He was very much loved and made a deep impact on those he came in contact with.

After his death, the eighteen staff of CHS decided to set up a memorial fund and accepted donations in Ted's name. Because of his interest in the field of interpreting and his personal goal to promote professionalism for interpreters, it seemed appropriate for the Ted Bealer Award to be administered by the Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada (AVLIC) - now known as the Canadian Association of Sign Language Interpreters (CASLI). This prestigious award recognizes individuals who have performed above and beyond the call of duty, making a significant contribution to the field of interpreting in Canada.

The Edward C. Bealer Award of Merit was first presented in 1982 to Dr. Gertude Kent of Winnipeg.

Award Presentation

This award is presented biennially at the CASLI Conference Award Ceremony. 

The recipient is presented with a plaque to recognize their contribution to the field of interpreting in Canada.

Selection Process and Criteria

Objective

This prestigious award recognizes individuals who have performed above and beyond the call of duty, making a significant contribution to the field of interpreting in Canada.

The recipient of this award would be an individual who:

  • Has had lengthy experience and involvement as a professional in the field of signed language interpreting and / or training,
  • Advocates for professional development opportunities for all those involved in the field, regardless of their level of skill,
  • Advocates for the right of all signed language interpreters to be treated as professionals,
  • Promotes the field in every way, and supports organizations such as CASLI.

Other things to consider:

  • Volunteer commitment to the field (serving on boards, committees, supporting Deaf community events / activities),
  • Academic contributions to the field.

Nomination Process

Submit the nomination to the CASLI Awards Selection task force no later than April 30th of a conference year (even numbered years).  All nominations are to be submitted electronically to the task force via the CASLI office. Submissions may be made in either ASL or English.

Nominations may be made by individuals or groups, however, please note that nominations made by one person will be weighted equally with nominations made by a group.

Nomination Submission

Describe in 300 words or less the nominee’s experience and length of involvement as a professional in the field of interpreting and/or interpreter education.

Describe how the nominee exemplifies dedication to the development of the profession of interpreting, per the following categories. Each category may be up to 100 words:

  • Advocates for professional development opportunities for all interpreters, regardless of skill level
  • Advocates for the rights of interpreters to be treated as professionals
  • Promotes the field in every way and supports organizations such as CASLI

Entire nomination should be no more than 600 words or 8 minutes in ASL

** Please note the task force will not accept submissions longer than 600 words or 8 minutes.

The deadline for applications is to be announced at a later date. 

The CASLI Office must receive all aspects of the application by this deadline. 

Nomination Form & Submission Details

Please see the Nomination Form for full details on how to submit a nomination along with the items listed above. 

The successful applicant will be announced at the CASLI Conference Award Ceremony.

Recipient List

Year

Recipient

City, Province

1983

Dr. Gertude Allison Kent

Winnipeg, Manitoba

1984

Alice Hiscock

Calgary, Alberta

1986

Richard W. Letourneau

Calgary, Alberta

1988

D. Bruce Jack

Winnipeg, Manitoba

1990

Phyllis Joynt

Ottawa, Ontario

1992

Debra Russell

Calgary, Alberta

1994

Kirk Ferguson

Edmonton, Alberta

1996

Darlene Karran

Edmonton, Alberta

1998

Karen Malcolm

Vancouver, British Columbia

2000

Linda Hatrak Cundy

Edmonton, Alberta

2002

Greg Evans

Winnipeg, Manitoba

2004

Terry Janzen

Winnipeg, Manitoba

2006

Marty Taylor

Edmonton, Alberta

2008

Susan Stegenga

Calgary, Alberta

2010

Sheila Johnston

Scarborough, Ontario

2012

Bonnie Heath

Winnipeg, Manitoba

2014

Janice Hawkins

Winnipeg, Manitoba

2016

Denise Sedran

Burnaby, British Columbia

2018

Louise Ford

Ottawa, Ontario

Phyllis Joynt Mentorship Award


History

In June 1998, one of CASLI's founding members, Phyllis Joynt, of Ottawa, Ontario, passed away. Phyllis was an active member of our interpreting community for more than twenty years, beginning her professional life as a teacher of young deaf students in Saskatoon, SK. As she became more involved in the Deaf community and became proficient in sign language, she began teaching Deaf adults at Alberta College in Edmonton, AB. While living in Edmonton, Phyllis helped found one of CASLI's largest interpreter chapters, ASLIA, the Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Alberta (formerly known as ACRID, the Alberta Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf), and served on its first executive. She was a strong supporter of the Deaf community, assisting them in establishing employment counseling services for Deaf people (called DECSA), a Deaf community television program (called Hands Around Town) and a group home to serve disadvantaged Deaf people (formerly known as Lauderdale House). When she relocated to Ottawa, she continued to support interpreters and Deaf people alike, by serving on the AVLIC (now CASLI) Board of Directors, helping establish summer institutes for ASL/English and LSQ/French interpreters at the University of Ottawa, and working with the Catholic Deaf organization. Phyllis also exemplified a life long learner, attending workshops and conferences throughout her career, completing a degree while raising her son, and reading broadly in our field. Phyllis will be missed by all who knew her.

During the memorial service for Phyllis, a constant theme emerged from the stories told of her life. It seemed that everyone focused on Phyllis's ability to support, encourage and mentor interpreters into this profession, while supporting the Deaf community. Some of the phrases people have used to describe her life included: "caring and nurturing"; "interested in people personally and professionally"; "built bridges between the Deaf and interpreting communities"; and "could bring out the best in everyone". To that end, CASLI is pleased to facilitate an award establish in Phyllis's honor, the Phyllis Joynt Mentorship Award, which will be awarded at each CASLI Biennial Convention.

Award Presentation

This award is presented biennially at the CASLI Conference Award Ceremony. 

The recipient is presented with a plaque as well as a $250 bursary to recognize their contribution to the field of interpreting in Canada.

Selection Process & Criteria

Objective

The recipient of the award will be a person who emulates many of the traits described above. Namely, recipients will be someone who has acted as an interpreter "mentor", formally or informally, in your local community. As well, they will be a person has created opportunities for the Deaf and interpreter communities to work effectively together.

The recipient of this award should be an individual who has demonstrated:

  • Leadership in the field
  • Efforts to work with both Deaf and interpreting communities
  • Significant influence on the development of aspiring (and maybe seasoned) interpreters
  • Commitment and perseverance toward the development of skills and knowledge of interpreters

Other things to consider:

  • Recipient could be, but does not have to be, a veteran to the field, or highly credentialed

Nomination Process

Submit the nomination to the CASLI Awards Selection task force no later than April 30th of a conference year (even numbered years).  All nominations are to be submitted electronically to the task force via the CASLI office.  Submissions may be made in either ASL or English.

Nominations may be made by individuals or groups, however, please note that nominations made by one person will be weighted equally with nominations made by a group.

Nomination Submission

  • Describe in 300 words or less how the nominee has mentored and/or affected your life.
  • Describe your mentor’s qualities per the following categories. Each category may be up to 100 words:
  • Leadership
  • Efforts to work with both Deaf and interpreting communities
  • Magnitude of mentor’s influence, commitment and perseverance in the field of interpreting

Entire nomination should be no more than 600 words or 8 minutes in ASL.

** Please note the task force will not accept submissions longer than 600 words or 8 minutes.

The deadline for applications is to be announced at a later date.

The CASLI Office must receive all aspects of the application by this deadline.

Nomination form & submission details

Please see the Nomination Form for full details on how to submit a nomination along with the items listed above. 

Recipient List

Year

Recipient

City, Province

2000

Bonnie-Lyn Barker Inaugural Award presented by 

Phyllis’s husband, Brian and son, Jonathon.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

2002

Adele Routliff

Mississauga, Ontario

2004

Debra Russell

Calgary, Alberta

2006

Jim McDermott

Halifax, Nova Scotia

2008

Glenda Messier

Oshawa, Ontario

2010

Catherine Maier

Ottawa, Ontario

2012

Natalie Lalande-Lamondin

Hamner, Ontario

2014

Rosalie Vissers presented by Bonnie-Lyn Barker

Brantford, Ontario

2016

Debbie Johnson-Powell

Flamborough, Ontario

2018

Susan Tompkins

Calgary, Alberta

R. W. Letourneau Service Award


History

The R.W. Letourneau Service Award is presented biennially, at the CASLI Awards Ceremony, to a member who best meets the outlined criteria and who has worked towards the accomplishments of the organization.

Richard W. Letourneau is a native Albertan who was born in Red Deer, Alberta. Richard began his interpreting career in the late 1970's and was one of the first Canadians to be certified by RID prior to the existence of the Canadian certification system. His leadership and interpreting skills shaped the face of the profession in Alberta and across Canada. His efforts resulted in the formation of organizations of interpreters. He also advocated for interpreter education programs, and lobbied for access to interpreting services in a broad range of settings. He was instrumental in creating the first interpreter referral service in Alberta.

The award was first created by The Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Southern Alberta (AVLISA) and was conferred for several years. Upon AVLISA's dissolution, the award was then taken up by AVLIC (now known as CASLI) beginning in 2008. This award is named in Richard's honour because of his many and varied contributions to the profession of interpreting, not only at the provincial level but the national level as well. He is held in high esteem by his colleagues and is respected by many as a multi-talented individual.

The following reflect just a few of Richard's many accomplishments:

  • Founding member of the Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada (now known as the Canadian Association of Sign Language Interpreters - CASLI)
  • Served on the AVLIC Board of Directors for 9 years, including a two year term as president
  • Founding member of the Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Southern Alberta (AVLISA) and ASLIA, the Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Alberta (formerly known as ACRID, the Alberta Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf), serving in numerous leadership positions in both organizations
  • Member of numerous other interpreting organizations
  • Recipient of the Edward C. Bealer Award of Merit in 1986
  • SPECTRUM '86 Conference Chair, AVLIC's Biennial Conference held in Calgary, Alberta
  • Served as an English rater for CASLI's Canadian Evaluation System
  • Served on a number of provincial and local service organizations in Alberta such as the Board of Directors of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) and the former Canadian Coordinating Council on Deafness (CCSD)
  • Founding member of the former Council of Organizations Serving the Hearing Impaired (COSHI)
  • Instrumental in the implementation of the Program for Deaf Students at Bow Valley College (BVC) in Calgary, which let to the introduction of sign language interpreters at upgrading colleges
  • Former ASL instructor
  • Has been, and continues to be, a mentor for many colleagues

Mr. Richard Letourneau is indeed one of our best!

Award Presentation

This award is presented biennially at the CASLI Conference Award Ceremony. 

The recipient is presented with a plaque as well as complimentary CASLI membership for the following membership year.

Selection Process & Criteria

Objective:

The R.W. Letourneau Service Award is presented biennially, at the AVLIC Awards Ceremony, to a member who best meets the outlined criteria and who has worked towards the accomplishments of the organization.

This prestigious award includes a framed certificate and a complimentary one-year AVLIC membership (Affiliate Chapter fees must still be paid).

Criteria:

The recipient of this award should be an individual who has demonstrated:

  • Is an active member in good standing of CASLI for a minimum of 5 years and a strong advocate for the profession
  • Demonstrates evidence of regular and sustained service to CASLI through the holding of various offices and positions within the organization or fulfilling specific responsibilities for the organization
  • Demonstrates leadership through participation in local and/or national activities, committees, task forces that further the goals and mission of CASLI
  • Is recognized for their singular devotion of time and effort to the programs and development of the interpreting profession
  • Is willing to share their time and abilities with other CASLI members

Nomination Process

Submit the nomination to the CASLI Awards Selection task force no later than April 30th of a conference year (even numbered years).  All nominations are to be submitted electronically to the task force via the CASLI Office. Submissions may be made in either ASL or English.

Each letter or video of nomination must demonstrate how the nominee meets the criteria, and include a description of his/her appropriate activities and contributions in sufficient detail to enable the task force to judge the candidate's worthiness to receive the award.

Nominations may be made by individuals or groups, however, please note that nominations made by one person will be weighted equally with nominations made by a group.

Nomination Submission

Describe in 600 words, or 6-8 minutes in ASL, how the nominee exemplifies working toward the goals of CASLI. Your letter of nomination or ASL submission should speak to the criteria outlined in the service award description and should focus on:

  • Evidence that the nominee has had regular and sustained service to CASLI through the holding of various offices and positions within the organization and that he or she has fulfilled specific responsibilities for the organization.
  • Examples of leadership demonstrated through participation in local and/or national activities, committees, task forces, etc., that further the goals and mission of CASLI.
  • Recognition of the nominee’s singular devotion of time and effort to interpreter education programs and development of the interpreting profession as a whole.
  • A demonstrated willingness to share his or her time, expertise and abilities with other CASLI members.

  ** Please note the task force will not accept submissions longer than 600 words or 8 minutes.

The deadline for applications is to be announced at a later date. 

The CASLI Office must receive all aspects of the application by this deadline.

Nomination form & submission details

Please see the Nomination Form for full details on how to submit a nomination along with the items listed above.

Recipient List

ASLIA's

Year

Recipient

City, Province

1993

Sue Stegenga

Calgary, Alberta

1994

Rhonda Webster

Calgary, Alberta

1997

Maureen Jones

Calgary, Alberta

1998

Miriam West

Calgary, Alberta

2000

Debra Flaig

Calgary, Alberta

2002

Janice Manchul

Calgary, Alberta

2003

Diana (Dee Dee) Kay

Calgary, Alberta

2004

Deb Russell

Calgary, Alberta

CASLI's

Year

Recipient

City, Province

2008

Kirk Ferguson-Uhrich

St. Albert, Alberta

2010

Barbara Mykle-Hotzon

Langley, British Columbia

2012

Denise Smith

Halifax, Nova Scotia

2014

Monique LeDrew

Carlisle, Ontario

2016

Lesley Roach

Flamborough, Ontario

2018

Tracy Hetman

Edmonton, Alberta

David Still Memorial IEP Graduating Student Award


History

The CASLI IEP Graduating Student Award was presented for the first time in 2004. It was the decision of the 2002-2004 AVLIC (now known as CASLI) Executive Board to develop a bursary to recognize a graduating student from a Canadian interpreter education program. In 2009 the award was renamed the David Still Memorial IEP Graduating Student Award in honour of David Still. The amount of the award is $500.

David began work as a signed language interpreter and instructor at Red River College. His work took him all over the country before he finally settled in Vancouver, BC. In 1988, David accepted a position as an instructor at Douglas College in the Program of Sign Language Interpretation. In the fall of 1999, he graduated with a Masters of Education from Simon Fraser University and went on to open Still Learning Resources. He was a visionary in our field and in 2006 received the BC innovation Award in Educational Technology.

David’s commitment to the profession was demonstrated by his role as a founding member of both AVLIC (now CASLI) and WAVLI. He worked relentlessly to establish standards in the field of ASL-English interpreting and was a man of passion who inspired others to find theirs. David believed in lifelong learning and he encouraged interpreters, both new and seasoned, to continue their skill development throughout their career. 

Application: Criteria & Requirements

Objective:

The David Still Memorial IEP Graduating Student Award will be awarded to a graduating student from a recognized Canadian Interpreter Education Program (IEP). The recipient must demonstrate an outstanding dedication as a student to the field of the interpreting and the Deaf community.

Criteria & Requirements

Applicants Must:

1.    be a member of CASLI and an Affiliate Chapter

2.    successfully graduate from a Canadian interpreter education program at a post-secondary insitution in the current application year

3.    provide an ASL video and a 500-750 word essay, double-spaced, describing the following

  • How they exemplify the qualities outlined in the scholarship objective
  • A description of their career goals and ambitions in the field of interpreting
  • A brief history of their involvement / contributions to both the ASL-English Interpreting and Deaf community

4.    provide an up-to-date resume

5.    submit two completed reference forms (English or ASL)*

  • one reference form must be from a Deaf person
  • one reference form must be from an Active CASLI member in good standing

 

*Additional Terms & Conditions     

  • References cannot be from an individual who is faculty of the current program in which the applicant has or will be graduation from  
  • If the successful applicant is chosen before the completion of their final semester payment of the award will be withheld until the applicant has submitted official evidence of graduation. Failure to do so will result in disqualification and the award will be presented to the next appropriate candidate.

The deadline for applications is to be announced at a later date. 

Reference Form

Application Form

Recipient List

Under the award's former title: 

AVLIC IEP Graduating Student Award

Year

Recipient

City, Province

2004

Susi Bolender

Burnaby, British Columbia

2005

Maria Margarita Rodriguez

Richmond Hill, Ontario

2006

Dawn Marie Hildebrand

Winnipeg, Manitoba

2007

Simon Dorer

Vancouver, British Columbia

2008

Sisko Huijgen-Bilker

Port Coquitlam, British Columbia

Starting in 2009 to honour the passing of our dear colleague, the award name was changed and as such recipients starting in 2009 were awarded the David Still Memorial IEP Graduating Student Award.

Under the award's current title: 

David Still Memorial IEP Graduating Student Award

Year

Recipient

City, Province

2009

Farah Ladha

Richmond, British Columbia

2010

Jenn Wilson

Ladner, British Columbia

2011

Maggie Harkins

Toronto, Ontario

2012

Ryan Kraft presented by Maggie Harkins

Toronto, Ontario

2013

Ray Kisman presented by Ryan Kraft

Milton, Ontario

2014

Stacey Park

Vancouver, British Columbia

2015

Katie Wilson presented by Stacey Park

Toronto, Ontario

2016

Keith Brougham

Fredericton, New Brunswick

2017

Sarah Klassen

Winnipeg, Manitoba

2018

Lori Archer

Vancouver, British Columbia

President's Award

The President's Award is presented to an CASLI Board member whose contributions have significantly assisted the president during the term.  This award is chosen by the president and is not open to nominations.

Award Presentation

This award is presented biennially at the CASLI Conference Award Ceremony. 

The recipient is presented with a framed certificate as recognition for their support and contribution.

Recipient List

Year

Recipient

Board Position

Presentation City

President Presenting Award

1986

Terry Janzen


Calgary, Alberta

Richard W. Letourneau

1990

Karen Malcolm

Vice President

Vancouver, BC

Debra Russell

1992

Cynthia Pearson

Ethics

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Debra Russell

1994

Greg Evans

Vice President

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Karen Malcolm

1996

Karen Malcolm

Past President

Ottawa, Ontario

Tracy Hetman

1998



Montéal, Québec

Tracy Hetman

2000

Denise Smith

Vice President

Edmonton, Alberta

Kelly MacKenzie

2002

Kelly MacKenzie

Past President

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Denise Smith

2004

Denise Sedran

Vice President

Vancouver, BC

Denise Smith

2006

Tarren McKay

Vice President

Toronto, Ontario

Denise Sedran

2008

Monique (Bozzer) LeDrew

Director of Evaluations

St. John's, Newfoundland

Tarren McKay

2010

Christie Reaume

Vice President

Ottawa, Ontario

Colleen Friel

2012

Colleen Friel

Past President

Calgary, Alberta

Christie Reaume

2014

Chris Racine

Secretary

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Christie Reaume

2016

Debbie Parliament

Evaluations

Fredericton, New Brunswick

Jocelyn Mark

2018

Sheila Keats

2nd Vice President

Niagara Falls, Ontario

Ashley Campbell

Voice (vrs) / vp: 437-370-8127

Text: 289-988-3397

Email: casli@casli.ca