Hopkins Foundation seeks Nominations for Awards
Special to the Gazette
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Nominations are being taken for the annual STAR Performer and WOW awards for teachers and support staff in the Southern Lyon County school district. The awards were established by the E.L. and Z. Irene Hopkins Foundation to recognize the outstanding performance of teachers and school support staff. This is the second year the awards will be given in Southern Lyon County.
The purpose of the awards is to recognize the importance of the teaching profession and the positive impact educators have on the community. The Foundation will give $8,000 in cash awards this year. Recipients are allowed to use the prize money any way they choose.
The deadline for entries is March 15 and nominations are limited to current staff in the Southern Lyon County Public Schools. Nominations should include a completed form and a statement of how the employee has made a difference for students. STAR Performer nominations for teachers also must include supporting materials, such as letters, newspaper clippings or other documentation of the nominee’s work. No CDs or DVDs will be accepted. Nominations can be submitted by students, parents and co-workers.
Nomination forms are available at all Southern Lyon County Public Schools and USD #252 District Office, 100 Commercial St., Suite A – P.O. Box 278, Hartford, Kan. 66854 and on the district’s website at www.usd252.org. For further information, contact Brenda Redeker at (620) 392-5519 or bredeker@usd252.org.
The Hopkins STAR Performer and WOW Awards will be presented in May, according to Michelle Molinaro, secretary-manager of the Foundation. She said the awards program was a dream of her grandfather, E.L. Hopkins.
STAR Performer Awards will be presented to teachers who are innovative, put students ahead of themselves, are caring, inspirational, have a record of student achievement, and go above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference for children. Cash awards of $2,500 and $1,000 will be presented to teachers in pre-school to 6th grades and teachers in grades 7 to 12.
Two school support staff members “who consistently go above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference for students” will receive WOW awards. Each will receive a $500 cash award.
A selection committee will include representatives of the Hopkins Foundation, the community, retired teachers, and an educator.