Teachers Share with Us
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Learn About our September 11th Teacher Awards The Tribute WTC Visitor Center annually presents awards to teachers who have created exemplary educational projects that help sustain the memory of September 11th. Innovative teachers are honored for how they have engaged their students in the discussion of the meaning of September 11th in their classrooms and for their focus on humanitarian responses to 9/11. Projects have been selected for engaging students in the arts and humanities: history, language arts, visual, media and performing arts. Each school receives both a financial gift and framed Certificate of Merit. An award ceremony takes place on February 26, (to commemorate the 1993 first attack on the World Trade Center). Share your 9/11 classroom work with us. Teachers and schools are invited to submit projects for consideration for next year’s Tribute Center September11th Teacher Awards. Send us a description of your class’s project to education@tributewtc.org 2009 - 2010 Awardees The Tribute WTC Visitor Center celebrated its third annual September 11th Teacher Awards on Friday, February 26, 2010. The awards and welcoming comments were presented by State Education Department Regents Member, Dr. Christine Cea. The awards have been made possible by the generous support of the The Greg Richards, Larry Polatsch, Scott Weingard Memorial Fund (GLS Memorial Fund), The Wells Remy Crowther Charitable Trust, The Christopher Slattery 9/11 Memorial Scholarship Foundation, The Brooke Jackman Foundation, and the Family of Firefighter Michael D. Mullan. Awardees: Teacher: Susan Lindner, Science teacher, Grades 1 - 5
School: Lynbrook School District, Long Island NY
Gift Given By: Award Presented in Honor of:
Firefighter Michael D. Mullan
As part of the science curriculum, students created a 9/11 Memorial Perennial Garden, planting over 500 fall bulbs, observing insects and flowers, and painting the back wall with a mural of the skyline of Manhattan that includes the twin towers. Patriotic gatherings and special assemblies are held in the Memorial Garden on 9/11 each year.
Teacher: Erin Boughton, Computer/Technology teacher School: Our Lady of the Hamptons School, Southampton, NY Gift Given By: Chris Slattery 9/11 Memorial Foundation Eighth grade students published a book entitled "Two Planes, Two Buildings, One Nation," based on their personally conducted primary source research, oral histories, guest speakers, visit to the WTC site, and their original interpretation and synthesis of ideas. The final product is a collaboration of the efforts of the computer, writing and art teachers.
Teacher: Chris Cougeltree, Social studies, Sociology and
Law teacher
School: Cranston HS East, Cranston, RI
Gift Given By: The Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust
Students guided to investigate personal stories on-line, attempting to connect to a "face" from the tragedy, followed by a trip to the World Trade Center site. The class explored further the causes of terrorism world-wide, using primary sources from the Arab world. Finally the students reflected upon on the future.
Teacher: Robert Orlando, Social Studies teacher, 11th grade School: High School of Computers and Technology, Bronx, NY Gift Given By: The Brooke Jackman Foundation Students participated in understanding 9/11 history in the context of New York history. Using highly interactive multi-media presentations and class trips, students investigated on a personal and intellectual level. Students wrote essays which included details culled from their investigative experiences. These essays included their vision of the future.
Teacher: Mark Otto, Assistant Principal, Teaches grades 9 – 12
School: The Facing History School. New York, NY
Gift Given By: The Greg Richards, Larry Polatsch and
Scott Weingard ("GLS") Memorial Fund
Six classes of students immersed themselves in the important history of 9/11, its impact on our city and world and its lessons for life long learners. Students participated in conversations and writing activities designed to inspire and guide the future development of experiences and messages that National September 11th Memorial Museum may offer to future students and youth visitors.
2008 - 2009 Awardees Awards were given to four schools; one in Brooklyn, Long Island, Chicago, and suburban Maryland. The ceremony was opened by remarks from Jennifer Adams and Lee Ielpi, co-founders of the Tribute WTC Visitor Center, and the awards were presented by State Education Department Deputy Commissioner for Cultural Education, Jeffrey Cannell. These awards were made possible by the generous support of the The Gregg Richards, Larry Polatsch, Scott Weingard Memorial Fund (GLS Memorial Fund), The Wells Remy Crowther Charitable Trust, The Christopher Slattery 9/11 Memorial Scholarship Foundation, and The Brooke Jackman Foundation. Teachers: Aaden Stern and Courtney Winkfield
Students from Academy for Young Writers in Brooklyn, NY are required to conduct oral histories to learn about historical events that occurred in their life-time and to understand how these events connect to their own lives. Students conducted many oral histories about 9/11 and published them with a larger collection of oral histories that explore a range of U.S. historical events and issues. During the oral histories, students asked questions that focused on the effects of witnessing the attacks on 9/11 on the lives of New Yorkers. Students explored the impact of the government’s response to 9/11, both at home and throughout the world. Student interviews included an introspective look at how 9/11 continues to impact Americans today and how can we best honor the tragedy of 9/11 while still moving on with our lives. Student and teacher awardees along with Lee Ielpi, Jennifer Adams, and Deputy Commissioner Cannell Teacher: Noriko Koide
Noriko Koide teaches Japanese language to high school students in two Long Island high schools. Following Japanese tradition, she has had her students make origami cranes for the victims of 9/11 as a symbol and hope for world peace. Ms. Koide has personally delivered these cranes to the World Trade Center site and involved her students in conversations of this recent history. Last year, Ms. Koide took her Valley Stream students to Hiroshima where they spent time at the Peace Memorial Park and went to Hiroshima City Hall. Teacher: Jamie Ellinger / students
For five years, Honors US History students at Northside College Preparatory High School in Chicago have participated in the Living History Project and have created a library of over 500 studentgenerated oral histories. 10th grade students came to NYC specifically to interview Lee Ielpi, co-founder of Tribute, about his 9/11 experiences. The three team members, Noemi Rodriguez, Jorge Villegas, and Luis Gaytan developed detailed interview questions, conducted an hour- long interview and are currently working on a media presentation about September 11th and the Tribute Center. The Tribute website will link to this project upon its completion. Teacher: Michael Chrvala
As an 8th grade U.S. history teacher, Mike Chrvala teaches about the events of September 11th as “teachable moments” for young Americans. “Through the use of videos, readings, and a lot of discussion …I believe that it is my job as a teacher to make certain that my students have an opportunity to study September 11th, to understand the goodness, dedication, and selflessness of the rescuers, and to commemorate all the lives lost.” Annually, on September 11th, teacher Mike Chrvala organizes a school–wide fundraiser called “Hats for Heroes.” 42 8th grade students were selected to visit the World Trade Center site last spring. Mike Chrvala is completing lesson plans that he hopes to share with others about thishistoric event. Photos courtesy of Mick Cantarella. 2007 – 2008 Teacher Awards This year’s awards, which were given to four schools in New York City, one in Florida, and one in Japan, were presented by James Diaz, Chief of Staff, Office of the Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning in the NYC Department of Education, himself a former teacher. Introducing the program, he said, “The teachers and schools represented here today have created exemplary education projects that have helped to sustain the memory of those we lost that September morning. But most importantly, they have sought to make sense of a tragedy that has forever changed our world. … I thank the teachers and students who are inspiring change through their humanitarian efforts, as well as supporting greater tolerance and James Diaz of the NYC DOE understanding in world that so desperately needs it.” PS 5, Inwood, NYC Principal: Wanda Soto In commemoration of the fifth anniversary of September 11th, computer teacher Les Klein asked his 3rd and 4th grade students to express their feelings about the attacks in poetry and then helped them transform their poems into short digital films. PS/IS 137, Brooklyn, NYC Principal: Loria A. Tucker Teacher: Linda Sedda Art Teacher, Linda Sedda created a book of students’ artwork, poetry and letters to acknowledge the 343 firefighters who gave their lives at the World Trade Center on September 11th. The school presented printed copies of these books to the local firehouse in an assembly and then to each of the firefighters’ families. PS 22, Staten Island, NYC Principal: Melissa Donath These teachers collaborated together to create a dramatic video with their elementary school students that created a forum for the children to express their emotions and instilled in them the idea that they could take back September 11th from the terrorists by working together to become a more tolerant community. High School for Leadership and Public Service, Lower Manhattan, NYC Principal: Frank Brancato Fielding guided his science students to take responsibility for their environment by planting gardens in nearby Battery Park, the place which sheltered them as they escaped the rolling dust cloud on September 11th. He inspired them to recognize the importance and meaning of civic environmentalism in urban settings and helped them write letters to local politicians urging improvements in all city green spaces. Barron Collier High School, Naples, Florida Principal: Ronald Miller Peterson brought his choral students to visit the World Trade Center site so that they could better understand and remember what happened in September 2001 by taking a personal tour of the site with a Tribute Center guide. When the students were visibly moved by the tour, their teacher asked them to come together to express their empathy by singing their hallmark song, “Unity,” for the staff and visitors at the Center. Wada School of Kumon Method, Shizuoka City, Japan Principal: Keiko Wada Many of the young children in Mrs. Wada’s classroom in Japan did not know about the attacks of September 11th, but Mrs. Wada knew a couple in Japan who lost their son at the World Trade Center. Mrs. Wada wanted her students to understand the value of life. She heard that a group of people in Japan who lost family and friends on September 11th were sending chains of origami cranes to New York as a wish for healing and peace. When she told her students about the project, they joined it by folding 4,000 origami cranes which they sent to the Tribute Center. Photo courtesy Shizuoka Shimbun The awards were been made possible by the generous support of six family foundations who are committed to supporting education - the Brooke Jackman Foundation; the Christopher Slattery September 11th Memorial Foundation; the Greg Richards, Larry Polatsch, Scott Weingard Memorial Fund; the Michael J. Armstrong Memorial Foundation; the Mullan family in memory of Firefighter Michael Mullan; The Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust – and by Staples, Inc. and the September Family foundation sponsors of the Awards 11th Families’ Association. All photos not otherwise marked are courtesy of Al Pereira
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