Area teachers to be recognized by Project Excellence

Carlisle Local School District: Connie Williams of Chamberlain Middle (EE), Michele Murphy of Carlisle High School (IT); Franklin City School District: Beverly Cramer of Franklin High School (EE) and Pamela Tomashot of Anthony Wayne Elementary (IT); Kings Local School District: Becki Blumer of Kings Mills Elementary (EE), Jason Shields of Kings High School (IT); Lebanon City School District: Beth Tharp of Bowman Primary (EE) and Bret Gordon of Berry Elementary (IT); Little Miami Local School District: Lisa Walker of Hamilton Maineville Elementary and Sarah Baker of Little Miami High School (EE); Mason City School District: Kelly Gholz of Mason Heights (EE) and Sandra Gemmel of Mason Intermediate (IT); Springboro Community City School District: Megan Trowbridge of Dennis West Elementary (EE) and Alisha Roode of Five Points West Elementary (IT); Wayne Local School District: Laura Burkland of Wayne Elementary (EE) and Tess Rivero of Wayne High School (IT); Warren County Career Center: Teresa Collins (EE); Warren County Educational Service Center: Susan Sigler (EE).

This year’s recipients will receive $500 for their personal use and $250 to be used in the district as the teacher requests, according to Arla Tannehill, APC’s executive director.

The awards will be presented May 3 at a recognition banquet at the Warren County Career Center.

Tannehill said Project Excellence aims to recognize educators who are “awesome and inspiring and turn on lightbulbs in people’s heads.”

“Those are the teachers that we want to tell ‘Thank you’ because if they are really good at teaching, that tells me they might be good at something else and we really would like them to (continue to) teach our children,” Tannehill said. “We want to keep those teachers in the classroom and continue to inspire our children to want to learn.”

Established in 1988, Project Excellence is a nonprofit foundation made possible by the volunteer efforts of business leaders who are interested in the quality of public education in Warren County.

Bill Thornton, president of Project Excellence, said more than 500 educators have been selected for the honor since the project began.

“There’s always going to be excellent teachers and there’s always new ones coming along, so it’s continually important to recognize those who are doing well,” he said.