Four alumnae from Education at Illinois were named Shining Stars by the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (CUSF). These teachers, along with other educators and support staff whose dedication, innovation, and enthusiasm make a meaningful impact in the classroom, will be recognized on April 6 at the CUSF Spring Fling.
Bios and nomination information courtesy of the News-Gazette:
Lindsay Aikman, '03 Elementary Education: Not only is Centennial‘s assistant girls coach among C-U’s most passionate soccer promoters, the English and AVID teacher also goes above and beyond to empower her students at Centennial High. As nominator Meghan Siwecki put it: “She pushes students to their potential, and they feel success.” Her work as an AVID teacher has “opened doors for students through college applications, career connections, and even full scholarships.”
Anna Blacker, '10 Elementary Education: The South Side Elementary instructional coach “works tirelessly to provide our students and staff with unique, rewarding learning experiences, and is the best cheerleader every step of the way,” art teacher Amy Lozar wrote about Blacker, who’s known for forging innovative partnerships that benefit her students. Among them: hands-on learning experiences with the U. of I’s Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.
Cheryl Morton, Ed.M. ’15 SPED: The Central High special education teacher with nearly 16 years of service “goes out of her way to make our class and our school run, taking on extra assignments and roles where she is needed, and doing so with a warm, welcoming smile that makes students feel at home and secure in any space she is,” co-teacher and nominator Cameron Pope wrote of Morton, whose “impact is felt far beyond the classroom.”
Stacy Arie, Ed.M. ’99, ’06 EPOL: “She is always ready, always calm, always on point and executes lessons that provide students with the best opportunities to use language in a variety of domains,” fellow Centennial ESL teacher Katy Lohmeyer wrote about the high school’s multilingual learners department chair. The “steady, humble” Arie can frequently be found putting in extra time to tutor students, monitor their progress, and coordinate complex schedules.
