8.0MB - College of Education - Auburn University

Alumni SpotlightBrandt ’94 receives 2006Milken Foundation AwardBrandt (second from left) received congratulations from state Sen. TedLittle, State Superintendent Dr. Joseph Morton, state Rep. Mike Hubbard,and Alabama State Board of Education member Betty PetersDr. Shannon Brandt ’94, a three-time College of Educationgraduate and a fourth-grade teacher at Wrights MillRoad Elementary School in Auburn, is among the recipientsof what is called the “Oscars of Teaching” byTeacher Magazine. The Milken National EducatorAwards, created by Milken Family Foundation chairmanand co-founder Lowell Milken to celebrate, elevate andactivate the highest caliber professionals in our nation’sschools, is considered one of the highest educational accoladesin the nation.Brandt received the news at a surprise October 17 all-schoolassembly from Alabama State Department of EducationSuperintendent Dr. Joe Morton, with students, colleagues,school system administrators, and city and state governmentofficials in attendance.“She is an inspirational educator and deserves specialrecognition,” said Lynda Tremaine, principal and 1968College of Education graduate. “Her desire to provide thebest learning situation benefits all who work with her. She hasbecome a teacher of teachers.”Brandt interned at Wrights Mill Road Elementary as anAuburn University student and has been teaching fourthgrade at the school for 13 years. She completed her bachelor’sin 1994, master’s in 1995 and doctorate in 2005—all inelementary education.In accepting her award from Dr. Morton, Brandt cited thecontributions and support she received from others.“This really isn’t about me, it’s about a school. I would notbe anything if it wasn’t for this school,” she said. “EverythingI learned came from Auburn University and this school.”Brandt, along with other Milken Educator Award recipients,will travel to the Milken National Education Conference in LosAngeles in April 2007 for a recognition ceremony, where shewill also be presented with a monetary award of $25,000.1984Laurie Frantz Ambersonwith the Etowah CountySchool District in Southside,Ala., was among thenearly 7,800 teachers nationallywho achieved NationalBoard Certificationin 2006.Maria Baker of BuncombeCounty Schoolsin Ashville, N.C., wasamong the nearly 7,800teachers nationally whoachieved National BoardCertification in 2006.Beth Grimes Frazer isa family and consumerscience teacher in theDeKalb County (Ala.)Schools system.Dr. Mark Neighbors ofOpelika, Ala., was selectedas Opelika City Schoolssuperintendent in November2006. He is theschool system’s eighth superintendentsince 1910.Neighbors has been withOpelika City Schoolssince 1991, during whichtime he was principal ofOpelika Middle School(1991 to 2001) and assistantsuperintendent(2001 to 2006).Dr. Debbie Shaw, vicepresident of Auburn’sOffice of Alumni Affairsand executive director ofthe Auburn Alumni Association,was elected presidentof the Alumni Directorsof the SoutheasternConference, which representsall senior leaders ofthe SEC institutions andsponsors an annual conferencefor SEC alumniprofessionals.1986Kym Haas Prewitt, executivedirector of theChildren’s Literacy Guildof Alabama, was named amember of the AuburnUniversity College ofEducation’s National AdvisoryCouncil. She andher husband, Johnny ’87(Business), reside in Birmingham,Ala.1987Martha Pierce of theBaldwin County SchoolDistrict in Robertsdale,Ala., was among thenearly 7,800 teachers nationallywho achieved NationalBoard Certificationin 2006.Stephanie Carey Holcombof the Vestavia HillsCity School District inVestavia Hills, Ala., wasamong the nearly 7,800teachers nationally whoachieved National BoardCertification in 2006.Dr. Susan Sorrells Hubbardof Auburn, Ala., wasnamed associate dean foracademic affairs in Auburn’sCollege of HumanSciences. She is a professorof nutrition and food scienceand former coordinatorof the department’sHotel and RestaurantManagement Program.She was later honored asthe 2006 hospitality educatorof the year by theAlabama Hospitality andRestaurant Association.1988Richard Brown Sr., principalof Beauregard HighSchool in Opelika, Ala.,was named the 2005-06High School Principal ofthe Year by the AlabamaAssociation of SecondarySchool Principals.An educator since 1969,he joined the BHS facultyin 1971 as a science54 Building A Better Future for All education.auburn.edu