Teachers, students honored at annual Excellence in Education award reception By MATT ARMES Staff Writer
For 18 teachers and seven students, Tuesday night was a pat on the back they'll remember for a long time.
They took their turns on center stage during the city's 23rd annual Excellence in Education Reception at Bowie Center for the Performing Arts.
Each teacher and student received an award from a selected city, county or government leader for his or her pursuit of excellence in teaching and academics.
Bowie High School was well represented during the ceremony, with four of the seven students, all seniors, receiving Excellence in Education scholarships.
Brandon Callahan and Nancy Torres were honored for their superior academic work while Owen Adams and Andrew Spalding were recognized with arts scholarships.
City Councilwoman At-large Geraldine Valentino-Smith praised each of the seven students for their dedication to their studies and maintaining high levels of achievement.
"Because of your excellence, we are honored to give you a scholarship on behalf of the city," she said.
"Go forward and remember that you had help from teachers, parents, siblings, and remember that you have made us proud. Wherever you go, make Bowie proud of you."
Two Bowie High faculty members, work study and mainstream coordinator JoAnn Bolig and 10th-grade AP government teacher Patrick Morris, also received awards for their contributions to student success.
Along with Bolig and Morris, 16 teachers from Bowie-area schools were accompanied on stage by their school principal and recognized for their devotion and service to their students and the community.
"Because of your commitment and your hard work, I applaud each one of you," said Toni Adams, Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce president.
"It's because of you that we have such smart students in the community."
State Sen. Doug Peters, one of several state government leaders at the reception, added, "We might be sitting in dignitary row, but the real dignitaries are (the teachers) to our right."
Ilsayiah Omar, a secondary special education teacher in her eighth year at C. Elizabeth Rieg Regional School, was one of two teachers from special schools recognized during the ceremony.
"I was very honored to receive this award," she said. "I actually learned in February that I had been nominated for it right after I had been told that Mr. (Mark) Norman had died." Before the evening ended, Mayor Fred Robinson asked for a moment of silence to remember Norman and his seven years of devoted service while serving as the principal of C. Elizabeth Rieg.
Pat Dolan, chairman of the Bowie Education Committee, also announced at the end of the program that Yorktown Elementary Principal Linda Posko would retire at the end of this school year.
And someone just beginning her career, Karen Coats, a fifth-grade teacher in only her fourth year at Rockledge Elementary School, said she was honored knowing that her colleagues had nominated her to receive an award for her work.
"Without a doubt, the best part of teaching is the children," she added. "I simply love watching the light bulbs turn on when they learn something new and exciting."
