Clusters for each story submitted online
A Child’s Education is a Contact Team Sport and Needs the Support of Parent Volunteers
"My story is simple. It is one of love and commitment. I am committed to making a difference in the lives of my children, their friends, their teachers, and our environment through volunteering. Even if all I have to give my student’s school is a little love and two hours of commitment per month, I know that I am doing something." --LaToya Staten
“You are an artist and you will never be happy until you pursue life as an artist.”
"In my first year as a student at Brooklyn Park Jr. Sr. High School I met Hal Gomer, a visual art teacher and the after school theatre director... Because of his influence, I began to recognize that I related to the world in ways that were different from other people and that, for the first time, my way of relating felt accepted." --Ken Skrzesz
Inspiring Students through the Media Center
"Our current media specialist, Cynthia Bischoff, joined our school only a year ago, but she has made a great impact on our students." --Cindy Holsworth on Cynthia Bischoff
“I believe [the STEM Program] has opened doors and granted me so much preparation for the years to come.”
"Looking into the next couple years, I hope to be studying nursing at a university. STEM has prepared me to do so, giving me connections and opportunities that I won’t ever forget." --Amanda
From Student to Employee—A Wonderful Experience in Crofton
"It has been a wonderful experience to be at Crofton Woods, the families have been wonderful to work with and it has been my pleasure to now have the children of past students enrolling at Crofton Woods." --Nila Brown
“Evelyn Foutty was a force of nature at Benfield Elementary”
"Evelyn Foutty was a force of nature at Benfield Elementary School in the 70s." --Mary Claire Chesshire
Grateful for my Amazing Teachers
"Through the past couple years, I have had great teachers at Central Elementary, Central Middle, and South River High Schools." --Ian, Grade 11
Connecting with students through friendship and sports
"For me it’s not all about winning...but it is about having fun. We do have fun because at the end--we are all winners. We are there to teach children sportsmanship and to be competitive and not take it too far. At the end we want them to be the best they can be. In athletics you meet the child that wants to be there and learn something new, usually they are good all-around students." --Nancy Czach
Making math fun!
"My daughte, Lily, like many children, didn't equate math as her favorite subject. She's an excellent student but has struggled to the point of tears with math for many years. This year she has had the incredible opportunity to be placed in Mrs. Kimberly Baillieul's math class. Mrs. Baillieul has not only transformed my Lily to now love math, she has empowered Lily and made math fun." --Lisa Saunders
“My third grade teacher is awesome–that’s saying a lot because I’ve had some great teachers in my almost four years of school.”
"Miss B is super smart and she makes me feel super smart, too. We get to invent things in science all of the time. And my math skills - fractions, multiplication, division, word problems - have gotten so much better." --Dixon, Grade 3
Technology in Action
"Me: "Time for your spelling pre-test." Son: "I don't have my list. Oh, wait, Mr. Witmer put it on OneDrive. Just a second Mom."" --Jessica Tickle
“I had no idea that leading the [Model UN] conference would awaken in me an idea that I could someday change the world.”
"When I was in seventh grade at Annapolis Middle School, my social studies teacher handed me an old, roughly worn-out gavel and said “Jacqueline, I’m electing you as Secretary General for our school’s Model United Nation’s conference--be ready, it’s next week,” and without giving me a moment to either accept or refuse, walked away and went on with his day...I had no idea that leading this conference would awaken in me an idea that would shape the rest of my academic career at AACPS--the idea that I could someday change the world." --Jacqueline Foley
“The encouragement I received daily…afforded me an understanding that university could not.”
"I was assigned to a school near Friendship Airport in Linthicum, which served as the bedroom for the mega company Westinghouse. Andover High School, which had opened a mere five years before, was, I was told, "the garden spot of Anne Arundel County." I was to learn before long that indeed it was a special place." --Wayne Shipley
“I’ve had so many incredible experiences, met amazing people and learned so much not only about the places around me, but about myself.”
"My experience with Arundel's signature program and how the opportunities they gave me led me to where I am today!" --Abby Piegols