ELGIN -- One teacher and one special skills assistant captured the 2007 Elgin School District U46 Employee of the Year Awards in honor of their dedication toward their students, enthusiasm toward their teaching, and endless kindness toward their peers, parents, and students.
Linda Wallace, a health occupations teacher at Bartlett High School, and Celia Adamson, a special skills assistant at Abbott Middle School in Elgin, received the awards and were honored at Monday night's school board meeting.
This award, which is nomination-based, aims both to honor excellent employees and to promote the quality of education being provided in U46 schools, according to the district.
» Click to enlarge image Special skills assistant Celia Adamson laughs with eighth-grader Natalie Chastain at Abbott Middle School, where Adamson was named one of Elgin School District U46's Employees of the Year. Adamson has been working with Chastain since she was a sixth-grader. Also honored by the district was Linda Wallace, a health occupations teacher at Bartlett High School, who was named the 2007 U46 Certified Employee of the Year.
The district said that Wallace, a registered nurse with a teaching certification, built the health occupations program at Bartlett High School from the ground up when the school opened in 1998. She moved from Streamwood High School, where she began teaching in 1979.
"It is Mrs. Wallace's high expectations of her students, endless enthusiasm for the field, and tireless efforts to maintain relationships with health care facilities that make her the 2007 U46 Certified Employee of the Year," according to a statement from the district.
Wallace said that students received paid positions at medical facilities that were arranged through partnerships established by her. She also spearheads the Health Occupation Students Association team. Her teams have placed first in state competition, where they participated in competitions ranging from biomedical debates to medical spelling bees since 2000. And for the past two years, the team has qualified for the national competition.
"I received an e-mail from a former student of mine who is now in University of Wisconsin-Madison's nursing program, telling me if it weren't for you and the lessons that you taught me, which kept me motivated and strong, I wouldn't be where I'm at today," Wallace said paraphrasing the e-mail. "And that's what makes it worth it -- the students."
And Adamson, the other award recipient, has worked in U46 for 26 years. The last three of those she has spent at the side of a special needs student with cerebral palsy, who uses an augmentative communication device to communicate.
Adamson helps her take notes, troubleshoots software issues on the communication device, adapts homework assignments and even stays after school with her so that her student can participate in Girl Scouts and student council at Abbott Middle School.
In his nomination, Gerry Bonick, a special education teacher wrote, "Celia went above and beyond the responsibilities of special skills assistant in many ways, such as adapting materials for students at home, accompanying students on community activities, and creating memory books for those students graduating from our program."
"I love my job and I plan on doing this as long as I can," said Adamson, "Just knowing that I can help these kids become more independent when they go out into the real world makes it worthwhile. I see these (special education) children try so hard, and deep down inside they are just like any other kid. And if I can help them realize that, then I'm doing my job."
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