Gold Star awards top teachers

Arlene Fruedenberg/News Editor
The Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching awards 10 outstanding teachers in a Black Hawk County. The award allows students of all ages to show how much they appreciate the work their teachers do for them.
“A good Gold Star nominee is a teacher who connects with his or her students and enjoys teaching. They enjoy working and their students are excited to go to class every day,” junior Sibyl Cox said.
Students are not the only ones who are encouraged to vote for a teacher they feel is doing an extraordinary job.
Nominators may vary from a student to a parent, a colleague, an administrator or someone from the community who is familiar with a teacher’s work. Gerald Ramsey, band director at Cedar Falls High School, won a Gold Star in 2006 and received a letter from a student’s parent about how she appreciated his teaching style.
“I enjoyed reading the letter a parent had written. It’s not as though I was unaware of what she wrote about but to have a parent verbalize it was very moving for me,” Ramsey said.
There will always be amazing teachers who go on unrecognized, but the Gold Star awards allow students, parents and fellow people living in the community to show how much they truly appreciate them.
“I think it’s a good program because it honors those teachers who have truly showed that they enjoy teaching and love to see their students excel. They put so much heart and dedication into their job and deserve recognition,” senior Ali Stoddard said
The Gold Star Awards will be presented at a ceremony in May and include a $1,000 cash prize for the honored teacher..
Nominations must be deposited in the Gold Star box at your school or postmarked by midnight, March 1. Mail to:
Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching
R.J. McElroy Trust
425 Cedar Street, Suite 312
Waterloo, IA 50701