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Passionate, accomplished, innovative, creative, committed, driven, dedicated, outstanding, memorable, amazing and student-centered.
These are some of the adjectives nominators used to describe 20 Hamilton County educators recently honored at the annual Celebrate Excellence educator recognition breakfast.
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| Master of Ceremonies Anthony Munoz |
The Hamilton County Education Foundation, the non-profit fundraising arm of the Hamilton County Educational Service Center (HCESC), sponsors the event. The foundation recognizes the successes of local public education professionals and works to provide scholarships to students majoring in a special education-related field.
"By annually celebrating the accomplishments of local educators and providing more scholarships for others in the field to further their education, we hope we're creating incentives for teachers and administrators to stay here and serve the children of Hamilton County,” said Karen Muse, foundation president.
The 2009 recipient of the Hamilton County Education Foundation/University of Cincinnati scholarship is Leslie Lessig, a teacher at Lincoln Heights Elementary School. The Hamilton County Education Foundation/Xavier University scholarship recipient is Preston Clark, a special education aide at Norwood High School.
"These scholarships are directly addressing the national shortage of special education teachers and since HCESC is one of the largest employers of Special Education personnel in Southwest Ohio, we are in a sense growing our own," Muse told the Cincinnati Community Press.
Business and community leaders in the region play a key role in both the annual recognition event and the foundation’s ongoing work.
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| LtoR: HCESC Superintendent Dave Distel, ODE Sr. Associate Supt. Marilyn Troyer, Hamilton County Education Foundation President Karen Muse |
"Celebrate Excellence provides a unique opportunity to bring school, university, business and civic leaders together to pay tribute to an impressive group of outstanding local educational leaders from across the county," said Dave Distel, HCESC superintendent.
Each school district submits its certificated educator of the year, which this year included 16 teachers, two special education administrators, a music director and a principal.
More than 200 people attended the May 22 event at the Sharonville Convention Center.
Marilyn Troyer, senior associate superintendent of the Ohio Department of Education, was the keynote speaker.
“I am so impressed by this event. The energy and synergy of bringing together educators from 20 school districts – along with corporate, civic and community leaders – is huge. It’s wonderful that you have all taken the time to pause and recognize excellence in your schools,” she told the gathering.
“When we celebrate excellence, we inspire ourselves and others to pursue excellence. We set an example for the rest of the world. And we pass images of success on to our next generation.”
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Celebrate Excellence 2009 Award Winners
Millie Thompson, K-Grade 1 Teacher
Rockdale Elementary
Cincinnati Public Schools
Cindy Homan, Intermediate Teacher
Amity Elementary
Deer Park Community City Schools
Rick Canter, Grades 9-12 Teacher and Music Director
Finneytown Local School District
John English, Spanish Teacher
Turpin HS
Forest Hills Local School District
Jim Hansel, Grades 11 & 12 Horticulture Operations teacher, Diamond Oaks
Great Oaks Institute of Technology
Anne Hambrick, Grades 3-8 Mathematics Enrichment Teacher
Our Lady of Victory
Hamilton County Educational Service Center
Shiloh Carpenter, Grades 6-8 Mathematics Teacher
Lockland MS
Lockland School District
Bill Croskey, Grades 5-8 School Psychologist
Loveland MS
Loveland City School District
Susan Klein, Special Education Supervisor
Mason City School District
Ken Berry, Special Education Teacher/Coordinator
Mt. Healthy HS
Mt Healthy City School District
Joseph Nickel, Athletic Director, Guidance Counselor, Social Studies Teacher
North College Hill Jr/Sr HS
North College Hill City School District
Kristin Kauffman, Grades 6-8 French Teacher
Colerain MS
Northwest Local School District
Jill Sennett, Grade 2 Teacher
Williams Ave. Elementary
Norwood City School District
Bob Klotz, Grades 10-12 Social Studies Teacher
Oak Hills HS
Oak Hills Local School District
Kathy Rieder, Kindergarten Teacher
Reading Hilltop Elementary
Reading Community City School District
Nona Waldeck, Grade 6 Language Arts Teacher
Elmwood Place Elementary
St. Bernard-Elmwood Place City School Distrcit
Sandy Hollstegge, Language Arts, Mathematics Teacher and Technology Coordinator
Whitewater Valley Elementary
Southwest Local School District
Maggi Fridman, Mathematics Teacher
E.H. Greene Intermediate School
Sycamore Community City School District
Erin Metz, Grades 9-12 French Teacher
Taylor HS
Three Rivers Local School District
Steve Denny, Principal
Winton Woods Elementary
Winton Woods City School District
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