Sometime next week, a handful of local teachers and staff members will share in more than $30,000 to reward them for exceptional job performance.
The board of directors of the E.L. and Irene Hopkins Foundation have sifted through nominations and recommendations from a local selection committee, and are ready to surprise the winners at assemblies at each of the schools. Dates and times of the awards will not be announced in advance.
“The teachers’ awards are my favorite event our Foundation does as we look forward to it all year long,” said the Hopkinses’ granddaughter, Michelle Hopkins-Molinaro of Atlanta, Ga., who comes to Emporia each year to distribute the awards and enjoy the reaction. “Seeing the smiles and surprises on the winner’s faces is priceless.”
The winning teachers will receive 2007 Star Performer awards, and staff will receive WOW awards
Star Performer awards will be given at three levels: preschool through grade four; grades five through eight; and grades nine through 12.
The top three teachers at each level will receive $5,000, $2,500 and $1,000 cash awards, respectively. The money is to be used as they choose with no restrictions, according to Foundation attorney Tom Krueger. Plaques honoring the teachers will be placed on the Hopkins Wall of Honor at the Emporia Board of Education office.
WOW awards recognize support staff members “who have made a difference for students,” according to the foundation’s written criteria. Those winners will receive $1,000 each.
This year, the awards to staff members will be increased from three to at least four, Krueger said.
The Foundation received 214 letters in support of a total of 43 teachers and staff members who go “beyond the call of duty” in their jobs, he said. The number of nomination letters is not the primary consideration.
The foundation board’s intention is to reward the teachers and staff for that extra work.
“The teachers’ awards were introduced because my grandfather believed teachers and support staff were underpaid for their services to our children,” Hopkins-Molinaro explained. “He believed that school was a second home for children and the care and education children receive was incredibly important. And he wanted to compensate teachers for their ‘above and beyond’ care.”
The winners were chosen by a panel consisting of two Hopkins foundation members, and educator with state and national experience, retired teachers, Emporia board of education members and members of the community, she said.
The selection committee’s ballots are so secret that even committee members do not know the vote outcome, and will not know until the awards are presented in May, Krueger said.
Preparations now are underway to surprise winners in assemblies at their school buildings, and Hopkins-Molinaro is ready to be in Emporia to do just that.
“It warms my heart to know we are honoring my grandfather by carrying on some of his wishes,” she said. “I know he would be really proud of our annual devotion to teachers through the award programs each and every year. He is deeply missed.”