Walt is a retired teacher with 34 years of instructional experience, 12 years in high school Phys. Ed. and Industrial Arts; then 22 years in Outdoor and Environmental Education with the Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario, (ALCDSB) running the outdoor education program and managing the Msgr. J.S.Ryan Outdoor Education Centre on Wolfe Island, Ont. He continues to teach in retirement through Firefly Adventures offering canoe courses and wilderness survival at Frontenac Provincial Park.
Qualifications, Awards, Recognitions
- B.A., B.P.E., 1976, B.Ed. 1977
- Certified Wilderness First Responder (Wilderness First Aid)
- Certified ORCKA Canoe Tripping, Canadian Style Paddling and Basic Canoeing Instructor
- Lifesaving Society – Bronze Medallion
- Wilderness Water Safety certification
- Member – Council of Outdoor educators of Ontario (C.O.E.O)
- A.L.C.D.S.B. Robin Hood award for environmental Leadership 1998
- Nominee – Prime Minister’s Teaching Award 2004
- C.O.E.O. Dorothy Walter Award for leadership in Outdoor Education 2009
- Queen’s University Faculty of Ed. Alumni Outstanding Service Award 2011
- Cataraqui Conservation Foundation Education Award 2012
- C.O.E.O. Honorary Life Membership, 2019
- Featured in : CKWS TV “Hero’s in Education” 2010; Profile Kingston Mag. 1996; Kingston Magazine 2006.
- Partner In Education Award (Partenaire en Education), Ecole Secondaire Sainte-Marie-Rivier, Kingston, 2026
Walt has taught over 70,000 children and adults in all seasons in the outdoors; over 20,000 in canoes. He developed and directed “Discovery”, a summer high school Phys. Ed. credit course in wilderness canoe tripping in Algonquin Park for 12 years. He also managed and taught at the Ryan Outdoor Education Centre on Wolfe Island for 22 years and directed his school board’s efforts in the “Eco Schools” program to reduce energy use and waste at schools.
References
“The perceptions of students, staff and community members about environmental issues have been transformed by the actions of this teacher.”
Carole Weir, Director of Education, Superior North Cath. Dist. Sch. Brd. (retired)
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“Walter Sepic is an exemplary teacher that ‘walks the talk’. His love of children, teaching, learning and the outdoors is exemplified in everything he does. Walter is one of those gifted educators who sees a teachable moment with every child crouched by a puddle. His patience is legendary! He meets each child at their level of understanding and helps them to grow. Whether he’s leading a canoe trip for high school seniors or boiling down maple sap for fourth graders, Walter makes the experience educational and memorable.”
Maryanne Bullock, Superintendent of Education, A.L.C.D.S.B.
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“I’m the director of the Shad Valley program at Queen’s University in Kingston. Every July for the past 4 summers, our program has engaged Walter Sepic to provide outdoor activities and team building for our camp participants. I would recommend him wholeheartedly to anyone looking for education and guiding in outdoor activities and education and team building. He is competent, careful, passionate about his work and completely respectful of the needs and fears of the participants.
Walter provides many things including instruction and support in canoeing, campfire building, camping and valuable exercises in team building, communication, trust and empathy, and hands on exposure to the science and technology of renewable energy, sustainability and observation of the natural world.
As in previous years, I was impressed with the care he took in working with us to tailor the trip to our program objectives. His manner with the students is empowering, respectful and age appropriate, and I have learned some important lessons watching him deal with students. It’s clear he enjoys the kids and he enjoys passing on his love of nature and his concern for the future. His risk management experience and thorough preparation allow us to give these young people exciting experiences without worrying about it. We appreciate both his professionalism and his sense of fun.”
Louise Mallory, P.Eng., Shad Valley Co-ordinator
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“I would like to extend my personal congratulations on being awarded the Cataraqui Region Conservation Foundation’s Education Award. This award recognizes your ongoing passion for the environment and your dedication to encouraging this passion and love of the environment in others, particularly youth.
Sincerely, Mark Gerretsen, Mayor, City of Kingston.
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“Hi Walt, I wanted to thank you and express how much we enjoyed and learned from the trip. It was a pleasure meeting you and spending the most extraordinary three days of my life on your trip. You made the trip exceed my expectations as well as Antoine’s. I shall never forget the stargazing from the canoe! You’re a wonderful guide; you made me feel safe and your fascinating knowledge about nature and camping kept me alive and enthusiastic throughout the trip. I appreciated learning from you and your gentle pushing and your approach towards people. Thanks again.
Aznita , Dubai.
Walt had everything planned, prepared and packed; we didn’t have to worry about anything.
-following Walt’s canoe in the mirror water; enjoying 3 course meals at the fire pit while Walt accompanied our fresh baked pie with songs on his guitar.
-canoeing silently before midnight to see the bright stars as Walt whispers their names.
We laid our lives into the hands of a complete stranger and followed him into the wilderness. In return, Walt gave us, in his quiet lead from behind manner, confidence in our new abilities. Our son became a master of fire and fishing. Thank you Walt for leading us into the wilderness and teaching us so many new aspects of life. Patrick, Switzerland.
The Sainte-Marie-Rivier Partner in Education Award recognizes a member of the community whose dedication to students has left a lasting and meaningful impact on our school. This award honours an individual whose commitment to young people, learning, and community has enriched the lives of our students and strengthened the educational experience we provide.
For more than three decades, this lifelong educator has devoted himself to helping young people discover their potential through authentic, hands-on learning. Throughout his career, he has inspired students to develop confidence, resilience, leadership, environmental stewardship, and a lifelong love of learning.
What distinguishes this educator is not simply his experience, but the relationships he builds with young people. Students quickly recognize his authenticity, his passion for learning, and his belief that growth often happens when we are willing to step outside our comfort zones. Whether teaching outdoor skills, environmental awareness, teamwork, or leadership, he has an extraordinary ability to transform experiences into lessons that stay with students long after the moment has passed.
His influence extends well beyond a single school or generation. During his years at the Ryan Outdoor Education Centre, many students from Monseigneur-Rémi-Gaulin and Sainte-Marie-Rivier had the opportunity to learn from him through unforgettable outdoor experiences as early as 1994. Today, some of those former students are parents of children attending our school. It is a rare privilege for an educator to help shape the experiences of both parents and their children, and it speaks to the lasting impact he has had on our community. Years later, he continues to inspire young people with the same enthusiasm, wisdom, and commitment that have defined his life’s work.
Retirement did not mark the end of his service to education. Instead, it marked the beginning of a new chapter. Through Firefly Adventures, he has continued to share his expertise, creating meaningful opportunities for youth, families, schools, and community organizations to learn, explore, and grow together.
At Sainte-Marie-Rivier, his contribution has been truly exceptional. Since partnering with our school, he has helped create some of our students’ most memorable learning experiences. Whether around a campfire, on the water, beneath a sky full of stars, or during a moment of challenge that became a moment of growth, he has helped our students discover strengths they did not know they possessed. He has shown them that learning can be adventurous, that leadership can be lived, and that confidence is often built one challenge at a time.
The strongest partnerships in education are those that leave a lasting impact on young people. Through his mentorship, generosity, expertise, and unwavering belief in students, this educator has become an invaluable part of the Sainte-Marie-Rivier community and an important contributor to our mission of helping young people grow into capable, compassionate, and engaged citizens.
For his extraordinary commitment to students, his decades of service to education, and his lasting impact on our school community, it is with great pride that Sainte-Marie-Rivier presents the Partner in Education Award to Mr. Walt Sepic.
Merci Messieurs.