Ten Teachers Earn Honors for Outstanding Citizenship

Winning Teachers and Schools Earn Grants, National Recognition

Ten teachers and their schools will end the year with an unexpected bonus thanks to the MetLife Foundation Teacher Ambassador Award.

The Award recognizes high school teachers who have undertaken extraordinary efforts to make themselves active members of their students' communities.

"Teaching is so much more than just passing on information. We want to recognize those who take extra steps to build bridges and connect with their communities," said Sibyl Jacobson, President and CEO of MetLife Foundation. "The winners of the 2003 MetLife Teacher Ambassador Award will serve as inspirational role models for other teachers in their communities and around the nation."

MetLife Foundation's goal is to provide positive recognition to encourage these high school teachers to continue their efforts and other teachers to follow their examples. The new award program was introduced this fall at high schools in 10 school districts.

Students were asked to nominate teachers who go above and beyond the call of duty to connect with, and become an active member of, their students' community. Students submitted short essays that described why their teachers are exceptional citizens. A national selection committee reviewed the nominations from each of 10 participating cities and picked the following winners:

Chicago
Teacher: Mr. Jack Giles, Northside College Preparatory High School
Nominating Student: Jacqueline Graziano

Denver
Teacher: Ms. Cheri Wright, Career Education Center
Nominating Student: Isaac Alfred Greene

Detroit
Teacher: Mrs. Marsha Sakwa, Detroit School for the Fine & Performing Arts
Nominating Student: Kimberly Finley

Los Angeles
Teacher: Ms. Sadie Kimbrew, Gardena High School
Nominating Student: Whitney De'Shawn Ward

New York
Teacher: Mr. Adam Stonehill,Townsend Harris High School
Nominating Student: Liya Shuster

Philadelphia
Teacher: Ms. Claudia M. Kirkley, Preparatory Center High School
Nominating Student: Candace Mackey

San Antonio
Teacher: Ms. Kathleen Wurn, Medina Valley High School
Nominating Student: Kara Elizabeth Page

Tampa
Teacher: Mr. Gary Todd Long, Plant City High School
Nominating Student: Justin S. Thomas

Tulsa
Teacher: Ms. Michelle Butler, Central High School
Nominating Student: Pamela Maness

Washington DC
Teacher: Ms. Emma J. Johnson, Spingarn High School
Nominating Student: Mercedes E. Burke

The winning teacher from each school district will be honored with a $1,500 cash prize and a $3,000 grant from MetLife Foundation. The winning teachers' schools also will receive a $3,000 grant. In addition, the winning teachers and the students who nominate them will attend the national awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on December 19.

The Teacher Ambassador Award is a project of the National Civic League - a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization devoted to strengthening citizen democracy and sponsored by MetLife Foundation, which is committed to strengthening communities, promoting good health and improving education. For more information about the MetLife Teacher Ambassador Award, visit http://www.ncl.org/metlife or contact Veronica Sepsey at 720-931-0830 or metlife@ncl.org.

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Students in Denver public high schools have been taking advantage of the opportunities the Denver Student Voices Project provides for them to talk face-to-face with the city's leaders. Throughout October and November, candidates for the Denver Public School Board and members of the Denver City Council have visited with hundreds of students participating in Denver Student Voices. The candidates and officials listened to students discuss their concerns about what they believe are the most important issues facing the city of Denver. At Contemporary Learning Academy, students talked with Councilwoman Rosemary Rodriguez about the way low self-esteem underlies teen-age drug use, gang participation and high school drop-out rates. Meanwhile, students confronted the issue of racial profiling with City Council President Elbra Wedgeworth at Manual High School, and debated ways for improving police-community relations.

Students are in the process of preparing their "Issues and Action Projects" for display at the Denver Student Voices Citywide Issues Expo, which will be held on December 9, 2003, at The Tivoli Student Union at the University of Colorado at Denver. All of Denver's government representatives have been invited to the expo to see the students present their solutions to what they believe are the most serious problems facing the city of Denver.

For more information about Denver Student Voices, please contact Kelly Bovio, Project Manager, at kbovio@ncl.org or by phone at 303-571-4343.

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The new "Members-Only" page is now available on the NCL Web site. While you are there, please take a moment to answer our survey and let us know what information would be the most beneficial to you.

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The 2003 annual membership meeting was held in Washington, DC on November 14th and 15th. Three new members were elected to the National Civic League's Board of Directors. The new directors are: Ms. Christine Benero, CEO of the American Red Cross-Mile High Chapter, Denver, Colorado; Ms. Elizabeth Hollander, Executive Director, Campus Compact, Providence, Rhode Island; and Mr. Valsin Marmillion, Senior Partner, Pacific Visions, Washington, DC.

The 2004 National Civic League Officers are Dorothy Ridings of Washington, DC, Chair; David Vidal of New York, New York, Vice Chair; James D. Howard, Jr. of Phoenix, Arizona, Treasurer; Carrie Thornhill of Washington, DC, Secretary; Christopher T. Gates of Denver, Colorado, President; and Patricia Bergin of Denver, Colorado, Assistant Treasurer.

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The Washington, DC office is looking for a Project Assistant for Federal Community Partnerships. The project assistant is a member of FCP and supports the Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) team on various project duties. For more information, please see the full job description.

The National Headquarters in Denver is looking for a communications intern. This is a part-time, unpaid position that will report to the Director of Communications and Development. Responsibilities include research, writing and some administrative duties. For more information, please contact Gary Chandler at 303-571-4343 or gchandler@ncl.org

For other employment and internship opportunities in Denver, CO and Washington, DC please see the NCL web site.

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The National Civic League is a 109-year-old nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization dedicated to strengthening citizen democracy by transforming democratic institutions. NCL accomplishes its mission through technical assistance, training, publishing, research, and the All-America City Award. The National Civic League is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, call 303-571-4343 or visit www.ncl.org.

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