Star Award Winners - Fall 2007

Congratulations to this quarter’s Star Award winners, who will be recognized at a Suffolk School Board meeting. The honorees will be awarded a U.S. Savings Bond, courtesy of program co-sponsor the Suffolk Education Foundation, as well as a certificate and distinctive star lapel pin.

The co-winners of the Star Award for Support Staff are Dorothy and Rudolph Carter.   Mrs. Carter recently retired as a bus driver for special needs students at Lakeland High School and Booker T. Washington Elementary School after driving since 1967. Mr. Carter worked with her as the bus aide since 1998.  Their nominator wrote that “each child considered them as grandparents.” As another testimony of their kindness and consideration, the Carters recently took care of their neighbor’s special needs child for a week so the father could take the mother for cancer treatments. They often take disabled or elderly people to appointments that they might otherwise have to miss. The Carters received their award at the November 8th School Board meeting.


The winner of the Star Award for Instructional Staff
is Tonya Allison, a kindergarten teacher at Elephant’s Fork Elementary School. She will be officially recognized by the Suffolk School Board at its Dec. 13th meeting. At that time, she will also receive a U.S. Savings Bond, courtesy of program co-sponsor the Suffolk Education Foundation, as well as a certificate and a distinctive star lapel pin.
The parent who nominated Mrs. Allison wrote that “from the first moment I met Mrs. Allison, she made me feel at ease. She let me know that all my fears (of sending a child to school for the first time) were natural. Her spirit, drive and willingness to go the extra mile with the kids, helps to encourage them to strive to do the very best.
“The activities in her class encourage responsibility, independence, self-esteem and courage which help them to grow. She focuses on teaching them not only to respect themselves, but others as well. Her creative ideas for learning and her bubbly personality make for the great person that she is. Mrs. Allison always has an ear to listen.  “She is a caring teacher, mentor and friend. She has made the commitment to make sure that each individual child has received the attention they deserve and makes sure that we as parents know exactly how our child is doing and that she is doing everything that she can.” In fact, Mrs. Allison has inspired her nominator to go back to school and finish her degree to teach elementary school.

    for more information about Star Awards click here