1998 Blind Educator Award

1998 Blind Educator Award

The Braille Monitor_______December

1997

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Steve Benson

The 1998 Blind

Educator of the Year Award

by Stephen O. Benson

From the Editor: Steve Benson is a

member of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind and

President of the NFB of Illinois. He also chairs the committee charged with

identifying each year's Blind Educator of the Year. Here is what he has to say:

Several years ago the Blind Educator

of the Year Award was established by the National Association of Blind Educators

(the teachers division of the National Federation of the Blind) to pay tribute

to a blind teacher whose exceptional classroom performance, notable community

service, and uncommon commitment to the NFB merit national recognition. Beginning

with the 1991 presentation, this award became an honor bestowed by our entire

movement. This change reflects our recognition of the importance of good teaching

and the impact an outstanding blind teacher has on students, faculty, community,

and all blind Americans.

This award is given in the spirit of

the outstanding educators who founded and have continued to nurture the National

Federation of the Blind and who, by example, have imparted knowledge of our

strengths to us and raised our expectations. We have learned from Dr. Jacobus

tenBroek, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, and President Marc Maurer that a teacher not

only provides a student with information, but also provides guidance and advocacy.

The recipient of the Blind Educator of the Year Award must exhibit all of these

traits and must advance the cause of blind people in the spirit and philosophy

of the National Federation of the Blind.

The Blind Educator of the Year Award

is presented at the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind.

Honorees must be present to receive an appropriately inscribed plaque and a

check for $500.

Nominations should be sent to Steve Benson,

7020 North Tahoma, Chicago, Illinois 60646. Letters of nomination must be accompanied

by a copy of the nominee's current r=82sum=82 and supporting documentation of

community and Federation activity. All nomination materials must be in the hands

of the committee chairman by May 15, 1998, to be considered for this year's

award.