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Certified General Accountants of Ontario's Accounting Teacher of the Year
stuffs students with the right stuff

July 2006


TORONTO, July 2006 - The Certified General Accountants of Ontario presented Errol Platt, Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute's business teacher, with its 2006 Accounting Teacher of the Year award at the Ontario Business Educators' Association's (OBEA) annual spring conference, held in Toronto.

Given annually to a business teacher in the province, this CGA Ontario-sponsored award recognizes exceptional teaching in accounting for the last 11 years. As a 19-year teaching veteran and long-time
member of the OBEA, Platt, was recommended for this award by his peers, who indicated he is, "an outstanding accounting teacher, both inside and outside the classroom."

Early in his career Platt adopted a teaching mantra shared by a (now-retired) colleague: "Teaching is simple: Know your stuff. Know who you are stuffing. And stuff them."

How does he go about delivering the right stuff? Platt works with students in setting their own learning goals to achieve over the year. Platt also establishes a learning environment that is both stimulating and fun. And, of course, he thoroughly knows his accounting "stuff." He is clear, however, about separating work from play time. Platt indicates, "Accounting, for example, isn't a spectator sport. You have to do it. The only way to do it is [for students] to work through the assignment. If you don't do it, you can't understand it." He cites some
examples: A cash flow statement has to be worked through. The same thing could be said for properly amortizing natural resources. Platt indicates he always goes back to first principles, such as debits and credits.
Only by doing these things can students determine the actual impact on a business. Platt wants his students to know the why not just the how of accounting.


CGA Ontario's 2006 Accounting Teacher of the Year award includes:

* A commemorative plaque engraved with Errol Platt's name (which already hangs in his classroom).

* Platt's home school, Lawrence Park C.I., received a $500 cheque from CGA Ontario, which will be dedicated to improving the secondary school's business programs.

* A monetary award of $500, for Platt to use towards his personal professional development.

The Certified General Accountants of Ontario has been proud to sponsor this prestigious OBEA award since 1995, which celebrates exceptional teachers who contribute positively to the education of today's young
adults. Accounting Teacher of the Year recipients also serve as role models to students by reinforcing the value and benefits of a career choice as a professional accountant.

Additional resources:
* Listen to Errol Platt, CGA Ontario's Accounting Teacher of the Year, comment on today's students (audio file two minutes and 17 seconds in length) by accessing www.cga-ontario.org/contentfiles/home/errol.mp3.
* If you do not have audio capability, read the transcript of his remarks at
www.cga-ontario.org/contentfiles/home/errol_platt_transcript.aspx
* A longer interview with Errol Platt can be found at this URL:
www.cga-ontario.org/contentfiles/home/errol_platt.aspx.
The Envelope, Please.... Sponsor CGA Ontario congratulates this year's winners of the Ontario Business Educators' Association's Accounting Contests for grade 12 and grade 11 students. Read about the award
winners at www.cga-ontario.org/contentfiles/secondary_school/obea.aspx

About the Certified General Accountants of Ontario:

The Certified General Accountants of Ontario is a self-governing body, which grants the exclusive right to the CGA designation, and controls the professional standards, conduct and discipline of its members and
students in the province of Ontario. Broadly and deeply competent, certified general accountants (CGAs) are committed to meeting the needs of businesses and organizations with accounting and financial expertise,
strategic insight, leadership and know-how. CGA Ontario's official charitable partner is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada and its affiliate agencies across Ontario.

Certified General Accountants. Name Your Need.

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For more information or to arrange an interview with Errol Platt:
Judy Gombita
Manager, Communications
Certified General Accountants of Ontario
Tel: 416-544-4765 or 1-800-668-1454, ext. 244.
E-mail: jgombita@cga-ontario.org



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