BOE Honors 22 Individuals, Organizations for Distinguished Service

The Montgomery County Board of Education has announced its selection of recipients for the 23rd Annual Awards for Distinguished Service to Public Education. 

The awards were established by the Board of Education to recognize and show appreciation for exemplary contributions to public education and to MCPS. More information on the awardees will be shared in the next few months.

Nominations for the awards were sought from the general community, as well as community organizations, businesses, Superintendent Jack Smith and Board of Education members.

The categories and the individuals and groups who will receive them are:

Community Group

Building Foundations for the Future—This organization of mentors provides an invaluable service to adolescent and teen boys by supporting their development of leadership skills and fostering positive relationships with each other and within the community. 

Difference Makers—Their mission is to get youth involved in service at all levels of community (local, national and international). This includes student projects designed around the Youth Services America tenets of awareness, service, advocacy and philanthropy.

Pro Power Foundation—This is a grassroots foundation supporting youth ages 7-17 with educational supports, mentoring, sports programs and camps.

Ishita Chatterjee, Sanjana Kumar, Sadhana Lolla, Preethi Prakash and Megha Timmalapali—A group of Poolesville High School students who serve the students of Hallie Wells Middle School as student coaches for its Science Olympiad teams.

Community Individual

Craig Koralek is a retired chemical/environmental engineer who volunteers in the American Association for the Advancement of Science STEM Program.

Zoe Tishaev is a 2020 graduate of Clarksburg High School, who served as the Student Government Association president.

Business

Elite Soccer Youth Development Academy, Inc.—This business provides an after-school, evening and weekend outlet to MCPS youth. They offer leadership and academic support and the opportunity to play soccer through its development program.

DARCARS Automotive Group—They have been a part of the local landscape for 40 years, building and enhancing a relationship with MCPS through an unwavering support for students.

Educational Systems Federal Credit Union—A longtime partner with MCPS, this organization has a core purpose of serving the education community.

MCPS Staff

Rina M. Chaves, ESOL transition counselor. She has spent 28 years in education and consistently goes above and beyond without hesitation or complaint.

Lana Haddad, administrative services manager. She has more than 27 years of service to the students and staff of MCPS and the Board of Education.

Margaret “Peggy” Khoury, team leader at Gaithersburg Middle School. She coordinated the GMStrong grant at the school and has collaborated with multiple organizations to design and facilitate a schoolwide program of social and emotional learning.

Richard “Dick” Lipsky, supervisor in MCPS Television. He has worked tirelessly and successfully to build MCPS TV into a key central services unit that supports students, staff and the community.

School Service Volunteer

Anne Baldini is a retired teacher who volunteers at Brooke Grove Elementary School.

Sheila Chandler, who serves as James Hubert Blake High School’s NAACP Parent Coalition Coordinator, is a parent volunteer and a temporary part-time employee.

Ruthanne Stoltzfus is a retired teacher who volunteers as a crossing guard in the heart of Germantown. She works to strengthen partnerships between community groups, such as Safe Routes to Schools and the Action Committee for Transit.

Individual Pioneer

Councilmember Nancy Navarro—Ms. Navarro has worked throughout her career in public service to improve the lives of all students and residents within Montgomery County. She is a champion for equity and social justice for all.

 Elizabeth Spencer (In Memoriam)—Ms. Spencer served on the Board of Education from 1974-1982 and was an advocate for students of every background, regardless of race, gender or religion, or whether the student was collegebound. She was known for her sterling integrity, common sense and ability to get along with people of varying viewpoints.