Education Foundation Raises $15K
Educators, support staff recognized at benefit dinner01 26 12 CT
C-T Photo / Drew Van Dyke

CAPTION: Chillicothe R-2 faculty and staff members were all smiles Wednesday night, as Laurinda Davison (right) was acknowledged as the 2011 Beacon Award winner, during the Chillicothe Education Foundation dinner benefit, at the home of Ed Milbank. Davison won the honor (sponsored by the Education Foundation) back on December 9, 2011. Christine Jones won the 2011 Teacher of the Year award at that time, as well. Education Foundation chair Ed Douglas estimated that Wednesday's benefit had garnered over $15,000 in donations, and that, since the dinner's inception in 2001, they had raised close to $165,000.

The Chillicothe community and the Chillicothe R-2 school district were both well-represented Wednesday evening at the annual Education Foundation benefit dinner, held at the home of Ed Milbank. Foundation chairman/president Ed Douglas welcomed the crowd, and thanked Milbank for again opening his home to the public. The benefit has taken place every year since 2001, Douglas said. He expects the foundation has made approximately $165,000 in dinner donations, alone, over that span. "We've probably averaged $15,000 or more [at these dinners, per year] for those 11 years," Douglas said. "I think we're going to be over $15,000 [this year]."

Douglas reiterated the importance of the foundation's causes, including (on top of the Teacher of the Year and Beacon Award recognitions, approximately $3,000 in mini-grants, and an optional $2,500 in teacher recruitment expenses) the backing of the new football stadium north of the Chillicothe High School (which he stated he hoped would be done by the fall), thanked the donors and participants in the evening, and said that he had presented the education foundation model to multiple communities in the surrounding area, all to great fervor.

Douglas honored the 2011 R-2 Teacher of the Year and Beacon award candidates and winners. He read a short paragraph about each one for the crowd on hand.

Photo / BK Web Works
Pictured (bookended by CEF Chairman Ed Douglas and R-2 Superintendent Dr. Roger Barnes):
Laurinda Davison (winner, CMS), Kathryn Midgyett (Central), and Marty Rogers (CHS)

Laurinda Davison, a middle school library aide, was first presented as the 2011 Beacon Award winner. She received $300 from the Chillicothe Education Foundation back during an assembly on December 9, 2011. Other support staff nominated for the award were: Julie Chastain, representing Dewey and Garrison schools; Richard Gibson, from Field School; Kathryn Midgyett, from Central School; Marty Rogers, of the high school, and Yvonne Haslar, of Grand River Technical School. Each nominee received $100 from the foundation. Davison, Midgyett, and Rogers were all present at Wednesday's benefit in time for the photo. Yvonne arrived at the reception later.

Photo / BK Web Works
Pictured (bookended by CEF Chairman Ed Douglas and R-2 Superintendent Dr. Roger Barnes): Jeanne Lair (CHS), Kenny Estes (GRTS), Christine Jones (winner, CMS), Michelle Vinson (Central), Dan Venner (Field), and Kari Keller (Garrison/Dewey).

Christine Jones was acknowledged as the 2011 Chillicothe R-2 Teacher of the Year. Jones is an eighth grade science teacher at Chillicothe Middle School. Other teachers nominated for the award were: Kari Keller, representing Garrison and Dewey schools; Dan Venner, representing Field School; Michelle Vinson, representing Central School; Jeanne Lair, representing the high school; and Kenny Estes, of Grand River Technical School. All were present Wednesday. Jones was awarded $1,500 on December 9. The candidates received $1,000 each to use for classroom materials and $500 each in a cash stipend - also from the Chillicothe Education Foundation.

In all, the foundation awarded $10,800 to local teachers and support staff this year. They annually award $3,000 in mini-grants across the area, and they provide the R-2 district with an option of $2,500, used for teacher recruitment.

Jones is R-2 Teacher of the Year12 12 11 CT
C-T Photos / Drew Van Dyke

CAPTION: Chillicothe Middle School eighth grade science teacher Christine Jones (center) was announced as the 2011 Chillicothe R-2 School District's Teacher of the Year during an awards ceremony held Friday, December 9, in the Gary Dickinson Performing Arts Center. Jones beat out Kari Keller, Dan Venner, Michelle Vinson, Jeanne Lair, and Kenny Estes for the award.

Middle School eighth grade science teacher Christine Jones was honored as the 2011 Chillicothe R-2 School District's Teacher of the Year during an awards ceremony in the Gary Dickinson Performing Arts Center.

As the 2011 Teacher of the Year, Jones receives $1,500 cash and $1,000 for education items to be used within the classroom - prizes financed by the Chillicothe Education Foundation.

Other teachers nominated for the award were: Kari Keller, representing Garrison and Dewey Schools; Dan Venner, representing Field School; Michelle Vinson, representing Central School; Jeanne Lair, representing the high school; and Kenny Estes, of the Grand River Technical School. Those teachers received $1,000 each to use for classroom materials and $500 each in a cash stipend - also from the Chillicothe Education Foundation.