Nashville, TN – Tennessee Education Association (TEA) President Gera Summerford will be presenting awards to Tennessee educators and education supporters on Friday, May 20, 2011 at TEA’s Annual Awards Luncheon. The program will be held at 11:30 a.m. at TEA headquarters (801 Second Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37211).
TEA will recognize the 2010-11 Distinguished Classroom Teachers. This year’s winners are Constance Thomas Brown (Clarksville-Montgomery), Melanie DeAnne Buchanan (Cheatham County), Dr. Nancy H. Holland (Metro-Nashville), Beth Widner Jackson (Athens City), Louise Stauffer (McMinn County) and Meron Wang (Shelby County).
Cynthan Darnell (Robertson County) will receive the award for 2011 Distinguished Education Support Professional. The Distinguished Administrator Award recipients are William D. Moody (Metro-Nashville) and Becky Wright Coleman (Hamilton County). The Distinguished Higher Education Faculty Member Award will be presented to Dr. Carrie L. Whaley of Union University.
Kathleen Benedict of Anderson County will be recognized as TEA’s nominee for the 2010 National Education Association Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence.
The E. Harper Johnson Human Relations Award for the layperson category will be presented to Karen Perrin of Shelby County. The Metro Nashville Education Association will be awarded in the local association category. Susan E. Floyd will be this year’s educator awardee.
Jeanine Evans of Shelby County will receive the Susan B. Anthony Award for her work in support of programs and achievements for women and girls.
President Summerford will also announce the winners of the 2010-11 Don Sahli-Kathy Woodall Scholarships. The $1,000 Sons and Daughters Scholarship will be presented to Patty Cupples (West Carroll Junior/Senior High School). This year’s $1,000 Future Teachers of America Scholarship recipient is Rachel Praytor (Obion County Central High School). Hieu Trung Pham (Smyrna High School) will receive the Minority Scholarship.
Marilauren Anderson (University of Tennessee Martin) and Student TEA (STEA) President Caryce Gilmore (University of Tennessee Martin) will both receive $1,000 STEA scholarships. STEA will also award $500 scholarships to Amanda Countiss (King College) and Rachel Clabo (Tusculum College).
President Summerford will present the 2010 School Bell Awards for excellence in media coverage of education and TEA’s Friend of Education Awards on Friday evening at the TEA Representative Assembly.
Winning a TEA School Bell Award this year for outstanding coverage by an individual reporter are Blake Farmer of Nashville Public Radio WPLN-FM and Vicki Yates of News Channel 5 WTVF-TV.
TEA’s 2011 Friend of Education Awards will be presented to Jeff Madeksho of Shelby County, in the individual category, and Kids Connection of Athens, TN, in the organization category.
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The Tennessee Education Association is the state’s largest professional organization representing over 52,000 elementary and secondary teachers, school administrators, education support professionals, higher education faculty, and students preparing to become teachers.
