Skip to content
Menu
  • English Selected
  • Français

 

Header secondary

  • Sign up for eNews
  • Donate

Header

  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Our Programs
    • Leadership Team
    • Board Members and Committees
    • Donors
    • Annual Reports
    • 2021-23 Strategic Plan
    • FAQ
    • Work With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Champion's Circle
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • About Rick
    • About Rick
    • Rick's Story
    • Man In Motion World Tour
      • Man In Motion World Tour
      • The Dream
      • Tour Timeline
      • Tour Gallery
      • Tour Team
      • 35th Anniversary
    • Rick’s Work and Vision
    • A Conversation with Rick
    • Awards & Honours
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • Get Involved
    • Get Involved
    • Donate
    • Legacy Giving
    • Fundraise
    • Help make Canada accessible
    • Everyone Everywhere
    • National AccessAbility Week
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • Become Accessible
    • Become Accessible
    • Rating & Certification 
      • Rating & Certification 
      • Rating Request Form
      • RHFAC FAQ
      • RHFAC v3.0
    • Accessibility Training and Education
      • Professional Training
      • Accessibility Training and Education
      • Tuition Grants
    • APN 2023 Conference
    • Accessibility Resources
    • Accessibility Professional Network
      • Accessibility Professional Network
      • FAQ: Accessibility Professional Network
      • Login
      • RHFAC Professional Directory
    • Post an Accessibility Job
    • Accessibility Advisory Services
    • Buildings Without Barriers Challenge
    • Leaders in Accessibility
    • B.C. Accessibility Grants
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • Schools & Communities
    • Schools and Communities
    • Create an Inclusive School Year
      • Start with Awareness
      • Concentrate on Kindness 
      • Boldly Take Action
    • Resource Library
    • Ambassador Presentations
      • Ambassador Presentations
      • Book a Presentation
      • About Our Ambassadors
    • Difference Maker Awards
      • Difference Maker Awards
      • Difference Maker Winners
    • Supplementary Resources
    • Our Partners
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • News & Stories
    • News & Stories
    • Blog
    • Media Centre
    • Newsletter
    • Disability Reports
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • Search
Hero Meet Tyler Bargen, 2019 Educator Difference Maker of the Year

Meet Tyler Bargen, 2019 Educator Difference Maker of the Year

Breadcrumb

  1. Rick Hansen Foundation
  2. Schools & Communities
  3. Difference Maker Awards
  4. Difference Maker Winners
  5. Currently selected Meet Tyler Bargen, 2019 Educator Difference Maker of the Year

Meet 2019 Difference Maker Educator of the Year Tyler Bargen

Young man with brown hair smiles holding up DM certificate.

Tyler Bargen was honoured to hear that he’d won an educator Difference Maker of the Year award from the Rick Hansen Foundation. “It’s a passion of mine to include everyone of all abilities,” he says. 

Tyler was nominated for his efforts in organizing an “Inclusivity Week” at Munroe Junior High School in Winnipeg, but he’s quick to acknowledge that his colleague Desiree Penner deserves the award just as much as he does for co-organizing the activities. It all began when Tyler and Desiree, both physical education teachers, thought it would be both fun and eye-opening to do a unit on wheelchair basketball. It was a big hit with the students, and grew each year with new types of adaptive sports. 

Adaptive Sports and Changing Attitudes 

Students at Munroe have gotten a chance to try sledge hockey at a local rink, as well as sports designed for people with vision loss like goalball and blind soccer. “Students would often say it was their favourite thing they did in phys-ed all year,” says Tyler, “Kids who got to use the wheelchairs in previous years would ask when the unit was coming.” The adaptive sports also helped teach the students that being an athlete is impressive whether you have a disability or not. Like conventional basketball, students learned that wheelchair basketball requires a great deal of athleticism. 

Using RHF Ambassadors to Teach Disability Inclusion

Tyler also invited guest speakers including RHF Ambassadors Jordan Rogodzinkski and Sam Unrau to share their stories of living with a disability and overcoming challenges. Not only did Sam give an Ambassador presentation, but he also joined the students in PE class, showing them firsthand that a person with a disability can be an accomplished athlete. “It definitely changed how they viewed people with a disability,” says Tyler, “The students were able to see beyond someone in a wheelchair to someone with great abilities.”

The Ambassador presentations contributed to a culture of inclusion at the school, something Tyler feels is extremely important, especially in classroom settings: “When people are included, they feel safe, and when they feel safe, they’re ready to learn. It all goes hand in hand.”

Start Small

Organizing an Inclusivity Week at your own school may seem overwhelming at first, but Tyler’s advice is to start small and see where it goes. “Just try something, whatever capacity that you’re in, to build inclusiveness and see the impact that it can make. At Munroe, it started with booking wheelchairs. Do what you feel comfortable doing, or let yourself be a little uncomfortable and try something new and see what happens.” 

After 13 years at Munroe Junior High, Tyler is now working as a guidance counsellor at John Henderson Junior High School in Winnipeg. While he’s sure to be missed at Munroe, he’s undoubtedly creating a safe and inclusive space for his new students to grow and be successful.

Tyler at Inclusivity Day with a student using a wheelchair


 

Back to top

The Rick Hansen Foundation School Program
Made possible by the generous support of Scotiabank, the Gordon and Ruth Gooder Charitable Foundation and the Skidmore Foundation.
Gordon and Ruth Gooder Charitable Foundation
 

Learn More

 

Stay in Touch

Receive Foundation emails to stay up-to-date on our impact and programs.

Contact Us

1-800-213-2131
info@rickhansen.com

Rick Hansen Foundation
300-3820 Cessna Drive
Richmond, BC
Canada V7B 0A2

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
Imagine Canada

The Standards Program Trustmark is a mark of Imagine Canada used under license by the Rick Hansen Foundation.

About Us - EN

  • About Us
  • Our Programs
  • Leadership Team
  • Board Members and Committees
  • Donors
  • Annual Reports
  • 2021-23 Strategic Plan
  • FAQ
  • Work With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Champion's Circle

About Rick - EN

  • About Rick
  • Rick's Story
  • Man In Motion World Tour
    • Man In Motion World Tour
    • The Dream
    • Tour Timeline
    • Tour Gallery
    • Tour Team
    • 35th Anniversary
  • Rick’s Work and Vision
  • A Conversation with Rick
  • Awards & Honours

Get Involved - EN

  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • Legacy Giving
  • Fundraise
  • Help make Canada accessible
  • Everyone Everywhere
  • National AccessAbility Week

Become Accessible - EN

  • Become Accessible
  • Rating & Certification 
    • Rating & Certification 
    • Rating Request Form
    • RHFAC FAQ
    • RHFAC v3.0
  • Accessibility Training and Education
    • Professional Training
    • Accessibility Training and Education
    • Tuition Grants
  • APN 2023 Conference
  • Accessibility Resources
  • Accessibility Professional Network
    • Accessibility Professional Network
    • FAQ: Accessibility Professional Network
    • Login
    • RHFAC Professional Directory
  • Post an Accessibility Job
  • Accessibility Advisory Services
  • Buildings Without Barriers Challenge
  • Leaders in Accessibility
  • B.C. Accessibility Grants

Schools & Communities - EN

  • Schools and Communities
  • Create an Inclusive School Year
    • Start with Awareness
    • Concentrate on Kindness 
    • Boldly Take Action
  • Resource Library
  • Ambassador Presentations
    • Ambassador Presentations
    • Book a Presentation
    • About Our Ambassadors
  • Difference Maker Awards
    • Difference Maker Awards
    • Difference Maker Winners
  • Supplementary Resources
  • Our Partners

News & Stories - EN

  • News & Stories
  • Blog
  • Media Centre
  • Newsletter
  • Disability Reports

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Ethical Reporting Policy
  • Complaints Policy
  • Imagine Canada Certification
  • Accessibility Commitment
  • Diversity and Inclusion
Imagine Canada

The Standards Program Trustmark is a mark of Imagine Canada used under license by the Rick Hansen Foundation.

Charitable Registration Number: 10765 9427 RR 0001 © 2023 Rick Hansen Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

Back to Top
Hero

Our programs and initiatives work to create an accessible and inclusive world where people with disabilities can live to their full potential. 

Learn more
Hero

When Rick set out to wheel around the world in 1985, he had three missions: to raise awareness about the potential of people with disabilities, create accessible and inclusive communities, and find a cure.

Read more
Hero

Receive updates from RHF on the impact we’re making for people with disabilities across Canada.

Subscribe
Hero

Have your site rated and certified for meaningful access for people with physical disabilities. Make your community more welcoming and inclusive for all!

Get Started
Hero

Receive free educational resources that teach youth about the importance of access and inclusion.  

Learn more
Hero

Browse the latest stories about access and inclusion from Rick and our team of bloggers. 

Read our Blog