Whitehorse teacher Peter Harms was recognized Tuesday for providing inspiration and guidance in the field of science education.

His leadership has gone beyond Bunsen burners and beakers.

It was Harms who was instrumental in starting the annual bison hunt for students at Elijah Smith Elementary School 15 years ago.

And when the 57-year-old father of four moved to teach at the Hidden Valley School 14 years ago, he began another annual bison hunt.

The students of Hidden Valley were again successful last month, as they usually are during their week camping in wall tents, cutting wood, setting fish nets in Aishihik Lake and putting up with sub-30 C temperatures.

And when there's a bison in the freezer, the school hosts a community feast. May 1 is the day.

Harms says he doesn't want to start planning the school's annual rocket day just yet. There's still next week's feast to deal with.

Once that's over with, they'll start talking about the day when his Grades 6-7 students and students from Grades 4 and 5 gather at Harms' hobby farm on the Mayo Road to fire off rockets.

On Tuesday morning – Earth Day – the students and staff of Hidden Valley held a special assembly as the teacher of 34 years was presented with an international award, along with $5,000 and another $5,000 for the school.

The award was presented by Jim Favaro of Amgen Canada, with Education Minister Elaine Taylor and Lake Laberge MLA Brad Cathers in attendance.

Amgen Inc. is a biotechnology firm that develops medicine and technology for the seriously ill. The company has been providing the annual award to teachers in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada since 1992.

It's given annually to teachers "who are elevating the level of science literacy through creativity in the classroom and motivation of students,” says the company profile.

"It's presented every year to a Canadian teacher who demonstrates an outstanding ability to inspire students and provide excellent results in science education,” Favaro told the assembly. "We feel this is very, very important.”

The Amgen representative presented Harms and Hidden Valley principal Riana Robinson with separate plaques, to thunderous applause.

"I am here today to recognize one of Yukon's own, Mr. Harms, Peter Harms, Pete Harms, here at Hidden Valley,” said the Education minister.

"Not only is he an excellent teacher but the only Canadian to receive the award this year for science teaching.

"So quite an honour for you, Mr. Harms, and quite an honour for your school.”

Taylor called the teacher's ability to peak the curiosity of students with his hands-on approach was "truly inspirational,” whether it was shooting off rockets, learning about batteries, panning for gold or conducting experiments in at -40 C.

"These are the lessons that resonate with our young Yukon minds.”

The minister also emphasized that in addition to his leadership in the classroom, Harms serves as the coach for many of the school's sports teams, with a winning record to boot.

It was a day during his time at Elijah Smith that provided the spark for what would morph into the annual bison hunt.

A couple of hunters asked if they could come buy and skin out a moose.

After watching the affair, one student said that was the best hunt he'd ever seen.

Harms corrected the lad, saying they hadn't watched a hunt.

But the student insisted that was as close as he was ever going to get, and Harms realized for many who come from families who don't hunt, the boy was probably right.

His students say there are two kinds of science, Harms told the audience for Tuesday's special assembly.

He said there's book science, and there's fun science.

Doing stuff with your hands, making cars from mousetraps, that's fun science, Harms said.

"To me, teaching is so wonderful because you are playing most the time, playing at discovery,” he said.

"Going out to bison camp is not work, it's showing the kids what is out there in our wilderness.

"Going out to spring camp with gold pans and exploring all the different trees and birds that are around, that is not work.

"It is playing with the wilderness we get to enjoy.”

He said learning how to make engines, solar-power batteries and electricity is not about work, it's about discovery and learning.

It was the school principal who encouraged Harms to apply for the award that he hadn't even heard of.

Seeing the paper work involved, the essays and other material required for the application, Harms wasn't quick to get started.

In fact, he didn't get started at all – that is until the school principal kept asking how the application was coming along.

Harms said his own kids at home suggested if he won the $5,000 with no strings attached, a trip somewhere new might be a nice way to spend the money.

He told the audience he recently learned the rocket day budget was down to $450.

You can't have much of a rocket day for $450, Harms said.

He said somebody mentioned with the school's $5,000 share of the prize, they could have Rocket Week.

"I think you would have twice as much fun if you took the $5,000 that goes to Mr. Harms and chunk that into the program too,” he said.

"We are not having Rocket Week. We are going to have Rocket Day, but it will be a good one.”