Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce’s Awards for Excellence annually spotlight the county’s best educators - 6/13/07

Windsor Mill Middle School educator Melanie Davis (third from left) receives congratulations from (l. to r.) Thomas Berenbach, Laura Borgerding, and Superintendent Dr. Joe A. Hairston.

For one night, anyway, the cavernous ballroom at Martin’s West became the biggest – and best – school house in Baltimore County.

Inside, 168 of the county’s most accomplished teachers were lauded and toasted during the 21st annual Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce Awards for Excellence in Education. And, as befits a school house, nearly 900 guests learned during the yearly event -- about the high quality of the system’s teaching corps, about their dedication to ensuring a quality education for every child, and about the business community’s support of educators.

Jonathan Roland (center), a physics teacher at Perry Hall High School, is congratulated by Laura Borgerding and Dr. Joe A. Hairston.

The Awards for Excellence is a way not only for the business community and Chamber to recognize superlative teachers, but for the community to honor them as well. Each year, teachers from every part of Baltimore County are nominated for the Awards by parents, colleagues, administrators, community leaders, and even their own students.

After this initial nomination, each nominee submits a packet of information about his or her teaching achievements, educational philosophy, and other criteria, which are considered by a battalion of Chamber judges for the occasion. Winners of an Award for Excellence are chosen in categories including the geographic part of the county they represent as well as by grade level – 10 winners in all.

Another honoree, Joanna Ambridge of Pine Grove Elementary School (in pink), is applauded by her colleagues.

“That so many of our county’s educators are recognized by students, parents, and colleagues is a true testament to the quality of education available here in Baltimore County,” said Laura Borgerding, chair of the Chamber board and a senior vice president at Bank of America. “The daily duty of educating our youth is often taken for granted. Our recognition of this is why the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce has sponsored this event for 21 years. Teachers play an incredible role not only in what our world looks like today, but what it will look like in the future.” 

Kimberly Oliver, a kindergarten teacher in Montgomery County who became the 2006 Maryland Teacher of the Year and then the 2006 National Teacher of the Year, speaks to Baltimore County educators during the Awards for Excellence.

The event included a welcome from Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Joe A. Hairston and keynote addresses from both Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis, president of the Community College of Baltimore County, and Kimberly Oliver, the 2006 National Teacher of the Year, who teaches kindergarten students in Montgomery County.

Winners of this year’s school level awards are:

• High School – Geoffrey Holland, a government and economics teacher from Dundalk High School;
• Middle School – Christine Beard, media specialist at Ridgely Middle School;
• Elementary School – Kathy Powell, a second-grade teacher from Lansdowne Elementary School;
• Special Education – Frances Vaeth, who teaches kindergarten at the Campfield Early Childhood Learning Center;
• Special Area – Joanna Ambridge, media specialist at Pine Grove Elementary School.

One of two keynote speakers, Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis, president of the Community Colleges of Baltimore County, speaks to the Awards for Excellence audience.

Those who were honored with awards for their geographic area are:

• Southwest Area – Leslie Bridgett, a math and science resource teacher from Hillcrest Elementary School;
• Northwest Area – Christopher Lambert, who teaches social studies at Owings Mills High School;
• Central Area – Margo Rogers, a second-grade teacher from Timonium Elementary School;
• Northeast Area – Jonathan Roland, a physics instructor at Perry Hall High School;
• Southeast Area – Gary Caldwell, a social studies educator from Chesapeake High School.

Nominees for the Awards for Excellence await the procession into the Martin’s West ballroom.

 Also, since 2004, the Chamber has honored several educators who teach at challenging schools. Called the Berenbach Educational Incentives Awards, these honors were established by the past chair of the Chamber, Thomas Berenbach, to honor outstanding, experienced educators who serve public schools specially designated by BCPS.

This year, two instructors won prestigious Berenbach stipends from the Chamber – school counselor Melanie Davis from Windsor Mill Middle School and Larry Roberts, a vocational educator at Overlea High School.

 List of all 2007 Awards for Excellence in Education nominees

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Story by Charles Herndon, communications specialist. Photos by Paul Giordano of Giordano Photographics.