The Breakfast of Champions is Harrisonburg Education Foundation's premier event that recognizes present and retired faculty, staff, and students. This annual event honors grant and scholarship recipients, HCPS Educators of the Year as well as the
Retired Outstanding Educator of the Year.
Retired Outstanding Educator of the Year.
2015 Breakfast of Champions
The 2015 breakfast was held, Thursday, May 28, at James Madison University. This year's breakfast was generously underwritten by Doug Guynn, The Virginia Education Law GroupSM and BotkinRose PLC, in honor and memory of N. Carroll and Grace "Patsy" Guynn, who were both longtime, devoted educators.
A special video presentation of the educators of the year from all eight schools was recorded and edited by Telemedia Productions. Special Thanks to Jeff and John Salem, both HHS alumni, for donating their time and their talents, and making such a special day for all!
Another big thank you to Harrisonburg City Public Schools, Layman & Nichols, P.C., Sheetz, Inc., and Summit Community Bank for helping to sponsor this event and for celebrating another year of excellence!
Congratulations HCPS Staff, Educators, and HHS Class of 2015!
A special video presentation of the educators of the year from all eight schools was recorded and edited by Telemedia Productions. Special Thanks to Jeff and John Salem, both HHS alumni, for donating their time and their talents, and making such a special day for all!
Another big thank you to Harrisonburg City Public Schools, Layman & Nichols, P.C., Sheetz, Inc., and Summit Community Bank for helping to sponsor this event and for celebrating another year of excellence!
Congratulations HCPS Staff, Educators, and HHS Class of 2015!
2015 Educators of the Year
Wheaties boxes by Sarah Hade, Graphic Designer, and Bob Adamek, HCPS Photographer.
HEF 2015 RETIRED OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR
Marlon Foster
Marlon Foster was born during the year 1959 in Yorktown, VA to parents, Chester and Marie Foster. He was one of four children; twin sister, Marlene, and two older brothers, Chester and Terry. Marlon discovered a love of music very early in life. When he worked in his high school summer band program, he always found himself drawn to the "little ones" to act as a mentor or lend a friendly ear. His love of music led him to education. After high school, Marlon attended James Madison University (JMU). He then went on to teach for Harrisonburg City Public Schools for over 30 years. He retired in 2014 and still remains an active member of the music community. He currently teaches part-time at James Madison University. He also plans to continue guest conducting at local middle schools, and he has dreams of writing a book. If you’re lucky, you can catch Marlon playing locally with his band, S.P.L.A.A.A.T (Society for the Preservation of Live American Aural Arts.)
To see a list of past winners, please visit HERE.
To see a list of past winners, please visit HERE.
Lucy F. Simms Educators of the year 2015
Lucinda Swartzentruber of Rockingham County Public Schools (right) and Peter Norment of Harrisonburg City Public Schools (left) received the Lucy F. Simms Educator of the Year Awards at the ceremony hosted by Bridgewater College on May 19, 2015. The Honorable Elizabeth K. Dillon, a United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia, delivered the presentation honoring the Educators of the Year. Presented by Lindsay Brubaker of the BotkinRose law firm, each recipient received an engraved keepsake and a $1,000 check.
HEF 2015 Student Scholarship Winners
HARRISONBURG EDUCATION FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP
LILLIAN EVANS-HAYWOOD and EVAN PATRICK DOTAS
JORDAN GARBER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
STACI ROSINA HELYER
LT. COL. ROBERT T. HERING MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
SCOTT WISE
SHERRY BURCHAM ANDERSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
EVAN PATRICK DOTAS
CURTIS HERSHEY EMU TUITION ASSISTANCE SCHOLARSHIP
MARIAH KING
MILLERCOORS SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE STUDY OF ENGINEERING AND/OR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
MICHELLE HUYNH
GLEN KELLER SHOMO III VIRGINIA TECH ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP
MICHELLE HUYNH
LILLIAN EVANS-HAYWOOD and EVAN PATRICK DOTAS
JORDAN GARBER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
STACI ROSINA HELYER
LT. COL. ROBERT T. HERING MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
SCOTT WISE
SHERRY BURCHAM ANDERSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
EVAN PATRICK DOTAS
CURTIS HERSHEY EMU TUITION ASSISTANCE SCHOLARSHIP
MARIAH KING
MILLERCOORS SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE STUDY OF ENGINEERING AND/OR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
MICHELLE HUYNH
GLEN KELLER SHOMO III VIRGINIA TECH ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP
MICHELLE HUYNH
2014 Breakfast of champions
A special thanks to Harrisonburg City Public Schools, Layman & Nichols, P.C., Sheetz, Inc., Summit Community Bank and Telemedia Productions for helping to sponsor this event and celebrating another year of excellence! Congratulations, Educators!
2014 Educators of the year
HEF 2014 Retired OUTSTANDING Educator
Louise Cash Whitmer was born July 25, 1923 in Amherst County, Virginia. She was one of 11 children and always wanted to be a teacher. In 1943, Louise earned a B.S. Degree from Madison College, finishing in 3 years.
Mrs. Whitmer taught at Baker’s Village High School in Georgia. She then moved back to Virginia and taught all subjects at Bridgewater High School. She taught at Montevideo High School for 1 year, Keister Elementary School and Harrisonburg High School for 25 years. Then she retired from HHS as the guidance director in 1985. |
2014 – Louise Whitmer 2013 – Janet Coffman 2012 – Marcia Elliott 2011 – Judith Warren 2010 – Henry Buhl 2009 – Yager Marks 2008 – Julia Grandle 2007 – Eunice Powell 2006 – Dr. Robert Saum |
LUCY F. SIMMS EDUCATORS OF THE YEAR 2014
(Photo by Michael Reilly / DN-R)
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Congratulations to Kimber Tate (left), Lucy F. Simms Educator of the Year for Rockingham County Public Schools, and Cathy Soenksen, the award recipient for Harrisonburg City Public Schools! Cathy Soenksen is the Literacy, English and Dual Enrollment Teacher at HHS. She has 29 years of teaching experience and 13 of those years are with HCPS. She has served on the Division Leadership Team, Instructional Correlate Committee and Co-Instructional team leader of the English Department. Her community involvement includes service at her church, supporter of local Relays for Life and a supporter of the Shenandoah Valley Autism Partnership. |
The Harrisonburg Education Foundation and Rockingham Educational Foundation help sponsor the event to honor their outstanding teachers with the annual Lucy F. Simms Educator of the Year awards. Special thanks to Botkin Rose and The Virginia Education Law Group.
Lucy F. Simms was born into slavery and grew up near Harrisonburg, VA. She had a 57-year career as an educator, teaching over 1,800 students. Click HERE for more info on Lucy Simms.
Lucy F. Simms was born into slavery and grew up near Harrisonburg, VA. She had a 57-year career as an educator, teaching over 1,800 students. Click HERE for more info on Lucy Simms.
HEF 2014 STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP WInners
HARRISONBURG EDUCATION FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP
SYDNEY KNUPP and ALVINA KLOPOT
JORDAN GARBER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
ANNA WYATT
LT. COL. ROBERT T. HERING MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
ORIAN CHURNEY
SHERRY BURCHAM ANDERSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
ALEXIS DICKERSON
CURTIS HERSHEY EMU TUITION ASSISTANCE SCHOLARSHIP
RUAYDA QADIR
MILLERCOORS SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE STUDY OF ENGINEERING AND/OR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
LARKIN O'HARA
GLEN KELLER SHOMO III VIRGINIA TECH ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP
JACOB BYRD
SYDNEY KNUPP and ALVINA KLOPOT
JORDAN GARBER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
ANNA WYATT
LT. COL. ROBERT T. HERING MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
ORIAN CHURNEY
SHERRY BURCHAM ANDERSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
ALEXIS DICKERSON
CURTIS HERSHEY EMU TUITION ASSISTANCE SCHOLARSHIP
RUAYDA QADIR
MILLERCOORS SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE STUDY OF ENGINEERING AND/OR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
LARKIN O'HARA
GLEN KELLER SHOMO III VIRGINIA TECH ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP
JACOB BYRD
