Two Florida Educators Receive Prestigious National Awards

National Education Association honored the achievements of:

• Dr. Walter L. Smith and Ms. Alyssa Estornell at the Human and Civil Rights banquet in San Diego, CA, on July 2, 2009
• Dr. Walter L. Smith of Tampa received the Applegate Dorros Peace and International Understanding Award in recognition of his work with historic Black colleges and universities in the U.S. and for bringing educational opportunities and leadership to Africa
• Ms. Estornell, a speech-language pathologist in Palm Beach, earned the George I. Sanchez Memorial Award for her pioneering work with bilingual and speech or language impaired children and their families.
  
  FEA officers, Andy Ford, Joanne McCall and Clara Cook, as well as association leaders, Vanessa Tillman, George Williams, Gilda Morgan-Williams, Kevin Doyle, and Patty Lockner joined in honoring Dr. Smith and Ms. Estornell at the banquet.

Dr. Walter L. Smith and his wife Barbara		NEA award recipient Dr. Smith with Vanessa Tillman (President, St. Lucie Classroom Teachers Association, FEA Executive Cabinet, FEA Human And Civil Rights Committee)
FEA President Andy Ford, Vice President Joanne McCall, Secretary/Treasurer Clara Cook		Vanessa Tillman (President, St. Lucie Classroom Teachers Association/Classified Unit, FEA Executive Cabinet, FEA Human And Civil Rights Committee), George Williams (President, Madison County Education Association, FEA Executive Cabinet), Gilda Morgan-Williams, Palm Beach Classroom Teachers Association, FEA Executive Cabinet)
Kevin Doyle (President, Columbia Teachers Association) and Patty Lochner (FEA, Executive Cabinet)

The NEA Applegate Dorros Peace and International Understanding Award received by Dr. Smith honors an NEA member, NEA local affiliate, and/or NEA state affiliate whose activities in education contribute to international understanding and motivate youth to work for world peace. This award was named for Irmavae Applegate, 1966-67 NEA President and a member of the Executive Committee of the World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession (now Education International), and Sidney Dorros, the staff consultant to the NEA Bicentennial Committee. To be eligible for this award, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria:

1. Serve as a leader in efforts to further international understanding among Americans
2. Make lasting contributions to the cause of international peace
3. Inspire youth to study and become involved in methods for realizing international peace
4. Promote international understanding, peace, and cooperation among the nations of the world

For more information about Dr. Walter L. Smith and his achievements, please access the NEA press release at: http://www.nea.org/home/33166.htm You can also see the video shown at the awards banquet on YouTube with this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfSLDvAtrDE&feature=PlayList&p=9F17F03CC4543FDA&index=3

Ms. Estornell's accomplishments met the rigorous criteria for NEA's George I. Sanchez Award. The George I. Sanchez (1906-1972) was an educator, historian, and author in the United States, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. He devoted 50 years of his life to the education of Mexican, Navajo, and Black children and is known as the "father of the movement for quality education for Mexican Americans." NEA presents the George I. Sanchez Memorial Award to a nominee whose activities in Hispanic affairs have made a significant impact on education and the achievement of equal opportunity for Hispanics. To be eligible for this award, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria:

1. Promote equal educational opportunity for Hispanic children
2. Help establish and fund a bilingual education program
3. Develop bilingual instructional materials and/or multimedia bilingual programs
4. Help schools develop programs that enhance the education of Hispanic students
5. Promote, design, and coordinate training programs for counselors and teachers of Hispanic students

For information about Ms. Estornell's work and award, please see the NEA press release at: http://www.nea.org/home/33544.htm and the YouTube video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD-uFhmLjow&feature=PlayList&p=9F17F03CC4543FDA&index=2