Ms. Ramsey receives her award.

C. F. "Cliff" Spanier Award 2008

Another school year has come and gone, and again, it is time to give the C. F. "Cliff" Spanier Award. This is the 9^th consecutive year we have given the award to a very worthy individual or two.

The Spanier Award is about "doing more," "giving more," "being more"; not just to a select few, who come from the "right" families, but to all children of our school; even the free lunch, unkempt, and below average. It is about being an advocate for children even when you don't see much there.

This recipient knows that "you never really know" what's inside a child; therefore, you can't give up on them...

She would never say what Albert Einstein's teacher said when she said he was "mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift"?

Nor would she say what Beethoven's teacher said to him, "You are hopeless..."

No, I am convinced that this award winner fully understands that a teacher must never tag, categorize, finalize, or write children off. No, she is all about encouraging and motivating children, and yet, she has never sought special recognition, never asked for special favors, and not once has she said, "That's not my job!" or "I don't have time!"

This year's award winner believes in students that others have given up on. She is there for a student when others have given up. She is all about negotiating that fine line between giving a child the attention he/she needs and holding him/her to a certain level of accountability.

I am convinced that she would find a way "to make the devil look good."

Our C. F. "Cliff" Spanier Award Winner for 2008 is...Ms. Barbara Ramsey.