Stevenson staffers, volunteers win state prizes
Several members of the Stevenson High School community are recipients of the Illinois State Board of Education’s annual Those Who Excel Awards.
The awards recognize and honor people who have made outstanding contributions to public and nonpublic elementary and secondary education.
The Stevenson Special Education Community Board was selected to receive the highest honor, the Award of Excellence, in the Team category.
The board, comprised of special education staffers and parents, meets monthly to discuss and address perspectives and challenges faced by special needs students at Stevenson.
History teacher Patrick Block earned the Award of Merit in the Early Career Educator category.
Block teaches World History and Political Thought, and also is an assistant football coach and freshman baseball coach.
Additionally, teacher Don Carmichael, volunteer David Klitzky and student support worker Perrie Kominsky received Awards of Recognition.
In his 26 years at Stevenson, Carmichael has taught nearly every scientific discipline and is one of the leaders within the science division.
Klitzky is the co-founder of the Great Frame-Up and has been a major supporter of visual arts programs at Stevenson. Each year, the Great Frame-Up sponsors an art show for students at 26 area high schools.
Kominsky has provided speech therapy services at Stevenson for the past eight years.
The Those Who Excel winners will be honored at an Oct. 22 banquet.