District Partners and Programs  |  Recognition Programs  

Broward County Teacher of the Year
2007 Winner and Finalists

2007 Teacher of the Year Finalists

CHES KANNO
Piper High School welcomed Ches Kanno to their faculty as a Social Studies teacher three years ago. What does he enjoy most about Piper High School? Kanno said, “It’s a Small Learning community school which has six separate, distinct academies under one roof and I am team leader for the Creative and Performing Arts Academy.” This has enabled Mr. Kanno to mentor other teachers on increasing student achievement, as well as personalizing each student’s individual needs.

Since his students knew of his passion for poetry, they persuaded Mr. Kanno to start a spoken word poetry club. After many workshops and assemblies, they were a featured act at the Coral Springs Art Festival, as well as the first Florida youth poetry team to participate at Brave New Voices National Youth Poetry Slam in San Francisco where they placed second in the world.

“Whether it is power point, television, an overhead projector or the ‘Godfather of Soul’ James Brown to get them energized, I do what it takes to bring history and my classroom alive,” said Kanno. “Students know passion and they see me having fun with teaching, so they respond.”

LAURA ANNE KOLO
Laura Anne Kolo began teaching Intensive Math and Personal Career Development at Hallandale Adult and Community Center five years ago. But she brought twenty years of teaching with her, ten of which have been in Florida. “My at-risk students need classes that are both relevant and meaningful,” Kolo said. “By using technology skills, they can develop their communication skills, increase their self-esteem, and prepare to be productive 21st century citizens.”

Kolo has dedicated herself to being a teacher/leader in her school. The Digital Teacher Education Technology (DETA) Training, technology classes at FAU, and other online Mathematics classes have enabled her to share new classroom techniques with her peers, as well as enhance her own classroom instruction. “I’m proud of the many and varied ways in which I positively affect change in my school and in the field of education,” she said.

As the founder of an international charitable foundation entitled HALO (Help Adopt Little Ones), Kolo has helped countless couples adopt a second child internationally. The golf tournaments, professional video for fund raising, and website have also been very successful in this endeavor.

ANA MARIA LEON
Joining the staff of Wilton Manors Elementary School four years ago,Anna Maria Leon brings fourteen years experience as a Guidance Counselor with her. “I believe children can succeed if we work with them academically, socially and emotionally,” remarked Leon when asked about her philosophy of teaching. She created a “Passport to Peace” program that involves parents and the community to act as examples of positive and successful role models. It received the John Gardner Award in conjunction with the Little Red Schoolhouse Award Program in 2004. In addition, the program was presented in Spain at the International Peace conference and now students all over Broward County have been encouraged to write essays relating to peace.

Because she is able to follow up with students in multiple grades and across classrooms, Leon feels that the Passport to Peace program, as well as outstanding efforts made by the teachers, has led to a reduction of referrals and has increased student performance. Working as a team, the staff at Wilton Manors Elementary School has succeeded in helping students form lifelong values, motivation, and self-esteem.

KATHY E. LORD
Kathy Lord brings 31 years of teaching experience to Broward County Schools. She has been teaching Science at Coral Springs Middle School for 11 of those years. When asked what her philosophy of teaching is, Lord said, “I can sum it up in five words – Failing Is Not An Option.” Additionally, Lord believes that being a teacher means that you constantly get to be a learner. Through that learning process, Lord has been able to share her strategies with her peers, as well as nationally at several forums.

As one of only one hundred Math/Science Fellows in the United States and a Woodrow Wilson Fellow, these awards take second place when Ms. Lord reads a letter written by a former student or a parent saying, “I want to thank you for teaching me/my child how to study, takes notes, love science…”

Including parents in the learning process is paramount to Lord’s teaching success, as well as her motto: “Fair is not everyone getting the same thing. Fair is everyone getting what they need.” Lord said she believes, “no matter what level you teach, you are preparing students to be worthwhile citizens in a global economy.”

VELMA L. NELSON
Having taught for 31 years, 21 of them in Broward County, Velma Nelson , joined the staff of Silver Lakes Middle School four years ago, as a reading teacher. Ask her what she thinks her role as a seasoned professional is and she’ll tell you, “My task is to be a cheerleader for new educators.” She specifically worked with a group of school leaders to organize trainings during the New Teacher Academy. Peer mentoring will never cease for this veteran teacher.

In addition to participating in workshops, and volunteering on a myriad of committees, Ms. Nelson still has time to create classroom “themes” so that her students can connect instructional content with the outside world. She takes pride in helping parents and students communicate with each other and to bring this pride back to the community. On numerous occasions, she has said, “If Utopia were real, I would teach every child in Broward County to read.”

Ms. Nelson has been helping underprivileged children since her college years. In addition, she is interested in the welfare of the elderly and is active in her church.

IRIS L. PAYAN
Five years ago, Iris Payan came to Hollywood Hills High School as a chemistry instructor. She was originally employed as a chemist in private industry before joining the teaching staffs of the local community colleges and universities and finally to Broward County Schools. Said Dr. Payan, “the knowledge earned prior to my teaching profession has proven to be one of my greatest strengths. I can relate the scientific principles to ‘real world’ scenarios in multiple disciplines, based on facts and experiences.”

Although Dr. Payan’s parents were poor and had very little formal schooling, she credits their firm belief in the power of education, as well as the caring teachers who looked at her potential rather than her background, as the basis for her success. Dr. Payan believes that all students can become lifelong learners and critical thinkers given a nurturing, respectful and supportive environment. She continuously participates in updating her skills and encourages her students and fellow teachers to do so as well.

In her spare time, Dr. Payan participates in the Boy Scouts of America and the Girls Scouts of America. In addition, as the National Honor Society sponsor, last year she led the school Brain Bowl team to the Florida State Championship.

ROSEMARY C. PETRILL
Rosemary Petrill has been a teacher for 18 years. When she joined the staff of Atlantic Technical Center and Technical High School three years ago as an English and Career/Technical Advisor, she was excited to have the opportunity to transform students into the kind of learners who value growth and innovation at a high school housed within a technical center.

Beginning with 9th graders, she plans and delivers an overview to all students in the electives available, as well as reinforcing their Career Research and Technical Writing courses. In 10th grade, they see every program available on campus; they discuss connections to college in terms of articulation agreements and of work in terms of career ladders; parents, students, teachers and staff eventually meet to sign an academic and technical plan for their 11th and 12th grades. Said Petrill, “Technical education offers students training in occupation-specific skills in preparation for employment or further training after high school graduation.”

Ms. Petrill said a teacher’s goal should be to teach students how to think – not merely what to know.

PETER J. RIEDEL
Peter Riedel , a two-year Library Media Specialist at Seminole Middle School, has actually been teaching for seven years. Currently studying for a second Master of Arts degree, Riedel found the one course most applicable to his teaching was the Broward County Schools’ Digital Education Teacher Academy (DETA.) Said Riedel, “I used what I learned in DETA with my students and with the faculty at my school both informally and through in-service training that I have conducted for my colleagues.”

In both of the last two years, 100% of the students at Seminole Middle participated in Read Across Broward. Nearly 30% achieved the highest level of recognition, the Honor Roll Award. “My goal this year is for more than 50% of the students at my school to receive this honor,” Riedel said.

When asked to define his role as a library media specialist, Riedel said, “The only way I can be successful is through collaboration with the other teachers in my school. Collaboration is at the heart of my teaching philosophy.”

CHRISTINE N. RODRIGUEZ
Christine Rodriguez has been an English teacher for twelve years, 10 of which have been at Miramar High School. As a teacher, mother, Student Government advisor and full-time graduate student, Ms. Rodriguez is well equipped to deal with the pressures of strenuous schedules. “I set goals and deadlines for myself, and am good at asking for help when I need it,” said Rodriguez.

She realizes how important it is for parents to be involved and has created a website encouraging parents to read with and to their children whatever the age of their children. Ms. Rodriguez has also created opportunities for students to make a difference in the community by participating in the Buddy Walk, Beach Cleanup, collections for Hurricanes Katrina, Charley, Jeanne and the tsunamis, to name but a few.

“I feel that my love of this profession, my enthusiasm for creating positive learning experiences, and my true concern for the academic and social well-being of students has been contagious to teachers old and new, and to students aspiring to be teachers,” Rodriguez said.