Burke Foundation honors teachers

burkeawards042: Burke Foundation honors teachersBakersfield High School’s Vicki Bousquet and Sierra Middle School’s Marilyn Wooden were recently honored as Kern County’s Teachers of the Year by the Jim Burke Education Foundation at a reception ceremony held at the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office in Bakersfield. Each received a $500 stipend for extended study and a Waterford crystal vase. Another $500 in their names was donated to their respective schools. Bousquet and Wooden were selected out of a field of 26 finalists.

Each year the foundation recognizes Kern County educators who have provided outstanding service to students, schools and communities and have furnished instruction that has been beneficial to students of average ability. This year the award was extended to both high school and junior high/middle school teachers.

Teacher Donna Long said of Bousquet, her colleague at Bakersfield High, “She is the quintessential model classroom teacher. Her students absolutely adore her. She is able to challenge the most gifted student and make the most needy student feel welcome and included. Even though Vicki is in her 37th year of teaching, she is as energetic as a first year teacher.”

Wooden also received high praise from Program Specialist Sammie Novak. “Marilyn is an exceptional teacher, who has the rare ability to make science come alive for her students,” Novak said. “Many of Marilyn’s students are both socio-economically and linguistically disadvantaged. Using innovative ideas, she is successfully bridging the gaps that her students face.”

Among the finalists for high school teacher of the year, recognized for dedication and excellence in the classroom, were: Randy Cartwright — Ridgeveiw High, Thomas Cormack — Kern Valley High, Dan Halbur — Foothill High, Barbara Hays — Centennial High, Kenelee Henderson — Golden Valley High, Claudia Keith — North High, Richard Louie — Garces Memorial High, Edgar Mares — Arvin High, Terry Millsap — Stockdale High, Jerry Poncetta — Regional Occupation Program, Phil Sansone — South High, John Thomas — Shafter High and Robert Ziemet — Liberty High.

Other junior high/middle school Teacher of the Year finalists were: Jennifer Chaney — Compton Junior High, Beth Heisey — Chipman Junior High, Laura Ho — Thompson Junior High, Arika Jackson — Emerson Middle, Linda Jones — Tevis Junior High, Kay Lundin — Actis Junior High, Richard Rodriguez — Curran Middle, Katherine Rupert — Stiern Middle, James Schaffer — Warren Junior High, Alta Walker — Washington Junior High and Angela Gia Wentworth — Sequoia Middle.

In all, the foundation presented $14,000 in Teacher of the Year, Humanitarian Mini Grant and Scholarship awards.

Agencies receiving $500 Humanitarian Mini Grants in the names of Corrine Werdel, Florence and Bill Wheeler, Dr. John Forney and Gerald Clifford for service “benefitting the youth of our community” were: Kern County Network for Children — Leaders in Life Youth Conference, Kern County Hispanic Chamber Foundation — Leadership for Success, Ebony Counseling Center — Youth Leadership Conference and Kern County Youth Mariachi Foundation — Youth Mentor Program.

Presented with $2,000 renewable scholarships for scholastic achievement and community service were: Darren Thomas — North High, Tyler Townsend — University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Maria Olaguez — UCLA and Joseph Sithole II, Stanford University. West and North High seniors Josh Stephens and Panthea Heydari each received $1,000 Owen McCarthy memorial scholarships.

The foundation announced a continuing commitment to sponsor the Educational Leaders Forum, We the People, the Citizen and the Constitution academic competition, Kern County College Night and Dream Builder’s Project. Special recognition was given Ed Hopple and Jane Hagestad for their “dynamic and continual support of education.”


Print This Page   Email This Page