August 11th marked one of the club's special annual events as we recognized and awarded $2,500 to three outstanding teachers in the DISD.
Noemi Arnal Villalba is a fourth grade teacher at Hotchkiss Elementary where she teaches math and science. She understands that each student is an individual and she visits each one in their homes twice a year to get to know them and their families. Having studied and taught in Barcelona she is able to communicate with families in both English and Spanish.
Katie Benningfield is challenged as a teacher at the School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove. She sees as her task to encourage her students, who have demonstrated academic potential,but most of whom come from impoverished circumstances, to have positive self images and to have big dreams.
Jennifer Sanders teaches at the School of Business and Management Magnet. Her personal philosophy in teaching the principles of accounting is "Making Things Simple." It has really paid off for her students - many of whom have pursued accounting degrees in college and have become successful members in the community. She is proud that several have become CPA's.
We also heard via Zoom from Mike Morath, a fellow Rotarian and Texas Commissioner of Education, and from our own Linus Wright who shared some inspirational observations of the great importance of great teachers in educating the future leaders in society.