Moray & Banffshire Heroes – Lossiemouth High’s Debbie Russell named Secondary Teacher of the Year
An extra loud cheer greeted the announcement of Secondary Teacher of the Year at the Moray & Banffshire Heroes award ceremony.
Debbie Russell, a guidance teacher at Lossiemouth High for the past 12 years, has recently returned to the job she adores following treatment for breast cancer.
She said: “I was going through radiotherapy when I got a phone call to say that I’d been nominated and it really gave me a boost.
“It’s wonderful to be back at school again after having had treatment. I love the kids. I love my job.
“This award is for all my fantastic pupils at Lossiemouth High School.”
Debbie triumphed in the Secondary Teacher category after beating off against stiff competition from both Steve Tubbs from Keith Grammar and Karen Ainslie who works at Elgin Academy.
From the stage at the Banff Springs Hotel on Friday night, she spoke of the importance of communicating about the subject of cancer with young people in an open manner.
Her nomination form listed this stance amongst the list of her many all-round qualities.
It stated: “Mrs Russell is a much-loved guidance teacher who works diligently to support the pupils in her pastoral care.
“She goes above and beyond, not just for them but for parents too.
“She has also put her pupils first in the workplace, even sharing her journey with them to remove any fear of cancer and how it affects a family.”
The Secondary Teacher of the Year category was sponsored by Barratt Homes.
