Celebrate Excellence 2009

For more than 90 years, the Hamilton County Educational Service Center (HCESC) has provided the public school districts in Hamilton County with numerous services related to special education, as well as professional development for teachers and administrators. HCESC focuses on innovation by bringing together educational best practices and leading-edge knowledge to serve 150,000 students and 10,000 educators in Southwest Ohio. The staff of nearly 500 education professionals emphasizes quality processes and proven implementation experience with a constant focus on what’s best for children. The result is better use of resources, better schools, better teaching, better learning, better students.

As the non-profit fundraising arm of the HCESC, the Hamilton County Education Foundation provides an annual scholarship to a teacher returning to school at the University of Cincinnati as well as a teacher returning to Xavier University for their Masters in Special Education. These scholarships are directly addressing the national shortage of special education teachers – in a sense the Foundation is “growing its own.”

The annual “Celebrate Excellence” event is the Foundation’s main fundraiser recognizing the “Educators of the Year” from more than twenty public school districts in Hamilton County. The event is unique in that it brings K-12 education, university, business and civic leaders together to pay tribute to this impressive group. Anthony Munoz, president of his own education foundation, (http://www.munozfoundation.org/) serves as Master of Ceremonies. The 2009 keynote address was presented by the Ohio Department of Education’s Senior Associate Superintendent for Educational Programs Marilyn Troyer.

The Foundation – like our business, culture and arts communities – hopes that by providing scholarships and recognizing our local educators, more of them will choose to live and work here. Characteristically uncomfortable in the spotlight – not uncommon for those who are called to their profession - educators focus on the success of their kids. Celebrate Excellence honors these dedicated individuals who daily serve as parent, priest, friend, advisor, protector, confidant, and teacher to our children. Their superintendent gives them the day off. They get to hang with Anthony Munoz. And best of all, they get to hear what their nominator says about them.
· “She has stretched the boundaries of education, teaching us not only how to sing but to be good people.”
· “The words ‘no’, ‘impossible,’ and ‘I don’t have time’ do not exist in his vocabulary.”
· “I plan on majoring in education, and she is the teacher that I am trying to model myself after.”

There is no greater praise for those who answer the call.

- Submitted by Robyn Carey Allgeyer