Area educators nominated for awards

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

The Pittsburgh-based Education Partnership is slated to announce the winners of its Teppie Awards this weekend, and some of the educators nominated work in Mon Valley schools.

Voting is now open for the awards, which are given out annually by the Education Partnership, a nonprofit “teacher resource center” that distributes school and classroom supplies at no cost to students and teachers in need.

The Education Partnership Teacher Awards’ primary objectives are to: 

• Recognize the excellence of the many outstanding educators and administrators who participate in The Education Partnership’s programs.

• Focus attention on quality and exemplary educators.

• Increase public awareness of the importance of quality educators.

• Provide tangible recognition of achievement, earn the respect of colleagues and enhance professional opportunities for educators of The Education Partnership.

Tracey Russell, a reading specialist at Ringgold Elementary School South, is one of the educators nominated for the Elementary School Teacher of the Year Award.

Russell, who’s been teaching for 15 years, said her reason for choosing the career path that she did is simple. 

“I love kids,” she said.

She knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was a child.

“When I was little —around third grade — I would always play school in my basement. I would use old books from school and pretend that I had my own classroom,” Russell said.

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