2006 Salute raises $110K in scholarships and grants
Of the St. Louis American
The passion that the best educators carry to their respective schools and offices each day was on display on stage during the 19th Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Banquet last Friday at America’s Center.
More than $110,000 in scholarships and community grants were awarded during the evening.
Donald M. Suggs, publisher of the American and president of the St. Louis American Foundation, told the more than 1,600 guests that “it is gratifying to honor these deserving teachers, students and organizations.”
Lifetime Achiever John A. Wright reminded the audience during his acceptance speech that “there are many bright students in public schools. They must make a difference in our lives and make a difference in our communities.”
“To build a better world, we must open doors and make everyone involved. If we don’t, we cut short our future.”
In addition to a framed photographic portrait by Wiley Price, photojournalist for the American, Wright received a $2,000 educator grant.
Cheryle Dyle-Palmer, the 2006 Stellar Performer and chief operating officer of Parents as Teachers National Center, said educators “must find a way to reach every child.”
Of her work at Parents as Teachers, she said, “People know the business. My job is to provide vision and to work with staff members to realize their goals.”
Dyle-Palmer, who received a $1,000 educator grant, is a member of the local United Way’s Basic Needs Allocations panel. She said the zeal to help students learn and achieve “gives us the passion to keep moving forward.”
Bel-Ridge Intermediate School in the Normandy School District was recognized as the 2006 School of Excellence. Its retired principal, Robert Ward, said motivation is the key to the school’s success.
“I’ve learned that teachers and children need motivation. Knowing how to motivate people makes a difference,” he said.
“When you show interests and reward students for success, they respond.”
He added that he loved “the camaraderie between teachers and students” at Bel-Ridge, a predominantly African-American school where test scores annually soar higher than state-mandated standards.
Eight educators were also honored with Excellence in Education Awards during the gala.
JoWanda Bozeman, Parkway National Education Association president, said, “Making things better for children includes making things better for teachers.”
She criticized No Child Left Behind standards that were created “by people who never set foot in a classroom.”
Harvey Fields Jr., assistant director of academic programs at Washington University’s Center for Advanced Learning’s Cornerstone program, said, “A lot of focus goes into getting information into students, but they also have to learn how to use it. This is why mentoring is important.”
He said it’s “a fulfilling feeling when helping students understand they can excel. Once they do, they take off.”
Kathryn Garrett, coordinator of the Normandy School District Early Childhood Education Center and a former kindergarten teacher, said she loves small children “because they ask so many questions.”
“The greatest thing is to help kids understand why things are.”
Clarice Hall, a teacher of nearly 50 years in St. Louis Public Schools who has never missed a day, said she has passed up opportunities to move to administrative positions because “I have more to give in the classroom.”
“When parents bring their students to me, they’re mine. You have to set the rules and let students know the consequences. But you have to show them love, too.”
Crystal Herron, director of student support services for Ranken Technical College, said, “Students don’t know what to anticipate, and we give them information they would not have.”
“We do whatever we can to support them and be stable advocates for them.”
Howard Ramsby, a 29-year-old professor of African-American literature at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, said he takes great pleasure “when a former student calls and says that he has been accepted into this law school or that (graduate degree) program.”
He said that in volunteering at an East St. Louis charter school, he was blessed to “watch really good teachers and watch what they did.” He also says his volunteer work has given him “a holistic approach” to teaching.
Kathy Walker-Steele, assistant superintendent of East St. Louis School District 189, said her district “has received a lot of bad press and publicity. If you come to our district and see for yourself, you’ll see that what you read is not true.”
“It takes a lot to teach a student now, but they need to learn and they want to learn.”
Zella Williams, superintendent of school accountability for the Hazelwood School District, said she loves to see children learn.
“They know more than ever before. All children can achieve, all of them can learn,” she said. “Our children are all we have, and all I ever wanted to do was teach.”
Etefia Umana, a Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School counselor, was honored as Counselor of the Year as the evening opened.
Brian Hamilton, a Webster Groves High School graduate and University of Missouri-Columbia student, was honored as the 2006 Donald M. Suggs Scholarship recipient. The scholarship is for $10,000 per year, with an opportunity for another $6,000 to study abroad.
In addition, AT&T presented Hamilton with a laptop computer.
