Myra Greenspun Teacher Excellence Award Presented to Liberty High Theater Teacher
The Public Education Foundation and community leader Myra Greenspun recently honored Sharon Chadwick, Liberty High School theater teacher, by presenting her with the Myra Greenspun Teacher Excellence Award.
L to R: Curtis Jones, The Public Education Foundation, Sharon Chadwick, Dr. Jeff Geihs, Liberty High School principal.
The award recognizes an exemplary public school teacher who is successful in using innovative teaching strategies and raising student academic achievement. It is designed to honor great teachers, to stimulate the sharing of innovative ideas and programs among educators and to encourage schools to value their own great teachers.
Chadwick is a member of the Educational Theatre Association and is the Nevada Thespian Chapter director coordinating statewide theatre events for high school and middle school students. She was named the 2003 and 2011 Nevada Thespian Theatre Teacher of the Year. She and her students promote the arts in the community by presenting benefit performances, holding arts day camps and performances for middle and elementary schools and inviting elementary and middle school students to be in productions.
Chadwick consistently promotes inclusiveness in her theatre program using nontraditional casting and has incorporated the use of American Sign Language in several plays. She continually chooses plays that reach out to students. Liberty’s productions of “Bang, Bang You’re Dead” and “Sleepwalk” along with the 2011 performance of “Reviving Ophelia” in conjunction with Liberty’s counseling department were designed to help teens reflect on difficult topics like overeating, abuse, low self-esteem, teen suicide and violence. These performances are designed help students understand and cope with the many issues they face.
The Myra Greenspun Teacher Excellence Award was established in 2008 through the vision of community leader Myra Greenspun who wished to recognize those public school teachers in our community who transform learning and ensure their students excel. “We are very proud to acknowledge the work Sharon is doing at Liberty,” said Myra Greenspun. “It is my hope that this public acknowledgement of excellence in the classroom inspires more teachers to be innovative and creative with their students.” Chadwick receives $3,000 for her classroom, school or professional development. She also receives an honorarium of $1,000 and 500 points to The Public Education Foundation’s Teacher EXCHANGE™, a resource center for Clark County School District educators.
“By awarding Sharon this grant, we are able to express our sincere gratitude for everything she contributes to students,” said Judi Steele, president of The Public Education Foundation. “We believe in recognizing and supporting the great teachers among us. Congratulations to Sharon for all she has accomplished.” Teacher nominations may be submitted by fellow teachers, administrators or community partners. A teacher may not nominate himself/herself. The Public Education Foundation selects an impartial panel of judges to determine the recipient. Applications for next year will be available at www.thepef.org.