Freedom and the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit Honor the 2008 Voices of Inspiration^SM Award Winners

Freedom Credit Union, The Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, and the voice of the Philadelphia Eagles, Merrill Reese, recognized twenty finalists and winners Diane Barrie (Arcola Intermediate School, Methacton School District), Antoinette Rapp (Pottstown High School, Pottstown School District), and Wendy Parkany (Fort Washington Elementary School, Upper Dublin School District) on May 7th at the Voices of Inspiration Award Ceremony at Normandy Farm in Blue Bell, PA. Merrill Reese was the featured speaker and awards presenter for the event.

Voices of Inspiration, initiated in 2007, received a significant response this year, with 759 nominations. The award was created to honor and celebrate the contributions of exemplary educators in the Montgomery County School District. The Voices of Inspiration Selection Committee chose 23 nominees - one teacher from each of the twenty-one Montgomery County public school districts, one teacher from the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, and one teacher from a Montgomery County non-public school. Click here to view the list of all of the nominees.

“Freedom is proud to recognize this well-deserving group of educators as true voices of inspiration,” said Lee T. MacMinn, Freedom Credit Union President/CEO. “We are happy that Voices of Inspiration has received such a warm response and great participation from the Montgomery County School Districts.”

Approximately one hundred and thirty educators, superintendents, and supporters joined Freedom to commend the awardees on their superior commitment to teaching. The event recognized the finalists with a $500 award and gave an additional $1,500 to the three winners (one high school, one middle school, and one elementary school teacher).

“The Second Annual Voices of Inspiration was certainly a success in recognizing outstanding teachers in Montgomery County Schools,” said Dr. Jerry Shiveley, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit Executive Director/CEO. “I am pleased that Freedom Credit Union is supporting an event that focuses on the dedication of educators in our schools and gives them the recognition they deserve.”

Click here for more information about Voices of Inspiration.

Nominations are now closed for 2008. Please check back in the fall to submit a nomination for 2009.

Back row – Wendy Parkany, Upper Dublin School District; Beverly Stuart, Pottsgrove School District; Ruthanne Alberts, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit 23; Roberta Paul, Perkiomen Valley School District; William Shirk, Principal of Upper Perkiomen High School accepting on behalf of James Coffey, Upper Perkiomen School District; Anthony Commale, Ancillae Assumpta Academy; Brian Johnson, Cheltenham School District; Thomas O'Brien, Lower Merion School District; Ellen Luchette, Spring-Ford School District; Jeff Bugenhagen, Upper Merion School District; Kristen Gamble, Colonial School District; Susan Fox, Hatboro-Horsham School District.
Front row - Linda Fisher, Lower Moreland School District; Rebecca Rotondo, Norristown School District; Katy Kowalski, Wissahickon School District; Dona Italiano, Souderton School District; Eileen Lipski, Upper Moreland School District; Lauren Patterson, Springfield School District; Debra Lee, Abington School District; Maureen Zazyczny, North Penn School District; Antoinette Rapp, Pottstown School District; Diane Barrie, Methacton School District.
Not pictured - Bobbie Leiter, Jenkintown School District.