News Release
Monday, February 9, 2009
Illinois' Effingham High School Teacher Joseph Fatheree 2009 Member Benefits Awardee for Teaching Excellence
NEA Foundation Honors Verizon and Sesame Workshop at Feb. 6 Awards Gala
WASHINGTON,D.C. (February 7, 2009) —lllinois’ Effingham High School teacher Joseph Fatheree won top honors at the NEA Foundation’s annual Salute to Excellence in Education Friday night, taking home the coveted $25,000 Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence and sharing the stage with Cookie Monster, Elmo, and Sesame Street’s Bob McGrath in front of 900 leaders from public education, business, philanthropy and the government. The gala, which is held in Washington, DC, is a national celebration of the men and women who work in America’s public schools.
Fatheree competed against nominees from 35 other states and was honored tonight with a video made by a team of students and teachers from his school. Click here to view the video honoring his work. With more than 20 years of teaching experience, he has won numerous awards and honors, is active in many professional and community activities, and is known by his peers for his professionalism, his creativity, his love of teaching and learning, his willingness to serve as an advocate for his profession, and his ability to lead and to share.
“Joe has devoted his career to addressing student diversity. He has linked his rural students with inner city students in Los Angeles to produce a film for the United Nations. His students have produced films that have been aired nationally, developed an animated storybook used to teach English to African children, and created an interactive website for the Illinois State Board of Education,” said Kenneth B.Swanson, President of the Illinois Education Association. “It is because of Joe’s deep advocacy for students, his attention to creating unique ways to truly understand
diversity,his continual outreach to the community, and his public support of educators that the Illinois Education Association proudly nominates Joseph Fatheree for the prestigious NEA Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence. To us, Joe has truly shown teaching excellence.”
Known as the Academy Awards of public education, the NEA Foundation recognized the nation’s top public educators, presenting more than 50 awards.
“These individuals have been selected by their colleagues because they have attained the highest standards of the profession, as shown by their effective instruction,advocacy for public education, commitment to diversity, and engagement of parents and community,”said Harriet Sanford, president and CEO of the NEA Foundation.“Bringing them to Washington, DC and honoring them at our gala is a thank you for their excellent work.”
All five finalists for the Awards for Teaching Excellence, including Fatheree, received $10,000 from the Horace Mann Companies.
The four other finalists were:
- Michael Flynn, of William E. Norris Elementary School in Southampton, MA;
- Richard T. Ognibene, Jr., of Fairport High School in Fairport, NY;
- Stephanie Rossi, of Wheat Ridge Senior High School in Wheat Ridge, CO; and
- Marlene Srock, of Bel Air Elementary School in Minot, ND.
The NEA Foundation also presented its inaugural Award for Philanthropy in Public Education to Verizon Communications and its 2009 Award for Outstanding Service to Public Education to Sesame Workshop.
The Foundation selected Verizon for its history of supporting quality educational resources and its variety of literacy programs. With an annual giving budget of $76 million dollars, Verizon’s foundation is one of the top 20 corporate foundations. This new award is presented to corporations and other entities in recognition of their philanthropic support of public education, schools, and educators, according to Sanford.
“The power of the private sector to strengthen public education is critical and clearly recognized by Verizon. When organizations decide to use their resources to support educators, students win,” said Lauri J. Fitz-Pegado, Chair of the NEA Foundation’s Board of Directors. “By supporting programs that improve teaching and learning, corporations make a critical contribution to young Americans. This investment will derive benefit to us all in the end, as it leads to a stronger work force.”
“We selected Sesame Workshop for our Outstanding Service award because of its work to make a lasting and monumental impact in early childhood education through its celebrated and truly visionary Sesame Workshop,” said Sanford. Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street,today reaches 120 million children worldwide and is known as the world’s single largest informal educator of children.
About The NEA Foundation
The NEA Foundation is a public charity supported by contributions from educators' dues, corporate sponsors, and others who support public education initiatives.We partner with education unions, districts, and communities to create powerful, sustainable improvements in teaching and learning. Visit www.neafoundation.org for more information. Find us on Facebook and Twitter, and visit our blog.