Rotary Club Awards 2010 Good Idea Awards

The Tustin-Santa Ana Rotary Club has announced the winners of its 2010 Good Idea Awards. Approximately seven teachers, two special education staff members and a library media technician were honored at the Rotary Club’s annual awards program on Feb. 4. Their projects were chosen among many proposals submitted by teachers and staff in the Tustin Unified School District.

The club awarded more than $2,500 in grants to individuals for the development of quality educational programs in the classroom or school. Either a new concept or a supplement to an ongoing project was eligible for consideration. The winners will use the money to purchase materials, supplies or equipment.

A committee composed of representatives of the school district and members of the Rotary Club reviewed all proposals and selected the winners. Individual awards varied in amount according to requirements of the proposed projects.

The purpose of the program is to encourage classroom teachers’ ideas and methodology, to enhance the instructional program offered to students in the District, and to recognize the more exemplary efforts of the “eager beavers” in the TUSD school system.

The winners are as follows:

– Maggie Bingham, second grade teacher at Jeane Thorman Elementary School, for “Follow in Their Footsteps.”

– Julie Buetow, facilitator for the TUSD Special Education Department, for “Building the Foundations of Writing.”

– Kathie Burns, library media technician at Beckman High School, for “Joining the Digital Age Revisited.”

– Robin Chillingworth and Wendy Miller, first grade teachers at Arroyo Elementary School, for “Let’s Get Reading.”

– Gina Dearborn, eighth grade social studies teacher at Pioneer Middle School, for “History Alive!”

– Kim DeBenedetto, fifth grade teacher at Barbara Benson Elementary School, for “Revolutionary Women!”

– Eileen Duggleby, speech and language pathologist at Marjorie Veeh Elementary School, for “Listen Up!”

– Dr. Brian Leslie, physics teacher at Tustin High School, for “Tustin High Robotics Club – Starter Kit.”

– Ron Seim, sixth grade Magnet core teacher at Columbus Tustin Middle School, for “Vocabulary Bubble Gum/Trading Cards.”