MRA Awards and Grants

Educator and Literacy Awards

• Archive of Winners
  • 2007 Award Winners
    • Literacy Award - Individual

    Jan M. Sabin
    Sandy Knoll Elementary School
    Marquette Area Public Schools
    Jan Sabin, a second grade teacher at Sandy Knoll Elementary School, is this year’s recipient for the Literacy Award–Individual.  She works tirelessly to support all of her students.  Jan works creatively and persistently to insure that even the most struggling student will be a successful reader and writer in her class.  She has a deep knowledge and understanding of the curriculum and always works so that all student activities support the local and state standards. Jan never says “no”.  She enjoys a challenge.  Recently, when asked to come up with a song and some poetry for a grant, Jan met the challenge. One of her students remembers The Shuttle Hop, the Dogsled Race, and the Tulip Garden.  Helping students explore literature through many experiences has been one of Jan’s goals.   Jan is described as a person who lives a life of literacy.  The Michigan Reading Association congratulates Jan Sabin as the Literacy Award–Individual recipient for 2007.

    • Literacy Award - Institution
      Reading Specialists
      Holland Public Schools
      

      Front row, left to right:
      Elaine Gavette, Rhonda Petzak and Muriel Renzema
      Back row, left to right:
      Helen Simpson, Nancy Wessels, Kim Rosenau, and Lara Parent
      Not pictured: Rita Reimbold

       

      Hop aboard the Big Read (Red) Bus!! Holland has a fabulous library that offers wonderful programs; however, there are children who never get there.  The Big Read (Red) Bus offered all children access to a wide variety of books over the summer.  In the fall of 2005-06, the Holland Public Schools Reading Specialists met to put together a plan for pooling resources to impact as many students as possible.  Receiving a grant from the Holland Educational Foundation, they refinished the interior and exterior of a retired school bus donated by Holland Public Schools.  An art contest was held to determine the exterior of the bus.  Books were purchased from Title I funds.  People in the community also donated many books. Besides the regular checkpoints, twice a week they had extended lunch stops where the Holland Recreation Department and Holland Public Schools served free lunch.  Many volunteers in the community helped make this program work, including many bilingual parents.  The Michigan Reading Association congratulates Reading Specialists–Holland Public Schools as the Literacy Award– Institution recipients for 2007.

    • Educator Award, Teacher K - 6
      Lucy M. Harrington
      Superior Hills Elementary
      Marquette Area Public Schools
      “Lucy has the biggest smile!  She brings her enthusiasm for life and learning with her wherever she goes.”  These words describe this year’s recipient of the Educator Award–Teacher K-6.  Lucy teaches at Superior Hills Elementary in Marquette.  She has been an advocate for literacy for over three decades.  One of her most interesting and valuable causes was raising money to establish a library in the town of Tolo, Guinea.  This project came about when her students began communicating with her daughter, who was a Peace Corps volunteer in Tolo.  Her students wrote letters to the students in this village, which turned into the wonderful project of raising over $3000 for the first library in this remote village.  Lucy has authored two MRA publications.  Lucy has touched not only students living in Marquette, but also helped to promote literacy in a small village in Africa.  The Michigan Reading Association congratulates Lucy Harrington as the Educator Award–Teacher K-6 recipient for 2007.

    • Educator Award, Teacher 7 - 12
      Heather Hollands
       Gwinn High School
      Gwinn Area Community Schools
      “When a person first encounters her, they may have the impression that she is quiet, reserved, and almost shy.  However, don’t let her fool you – there is fire behind her sparkling eyes.”  Heather Hollands, English Language Arts teacher at Gwinn High School, hasn’t fooled any of her students.  You will find Heather’s students sitting on the “hot seat” as they put themselves in a character’s state of mind or hosting a Victorian Tea Party and taking on an author’s persona.  Heather is an integral part of the leadership team of the Upper Peninsula Writing Project.  In 2005, Heather wrote and received a rural poetry grant; her hard work sent one Upper Peninsula student, along with a guardian and teacher, to the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. to read personal poetry with former United States Poet Laureate, Ted Kooser.  Heather encourages her students to observe the world by reading, reading, and reading.  The Michigan Reading Association congratulates Heather Hollands as the Educator Award–Teacher 7-12 recipient for 2007.

    • Educator Award, Administrator
      Agnes McLenaghan Kubrak
      Hamtramck Public Schools
      “She models the concept of ‘leaders as learners’ – one who understands that leadership is a self-improvement journey that never ends.”  These words describe this year’s Educator Award–Administrator recipient, Agnes H. McLenaghan Kubrak, Assistant Superintendent for Hamtramck Public Schools.  Aggie moved beyond the classroom to curriculum, professional development, and now is an assistant superintendent.  She also keeps a close working relationship with her professional organizations.  She demonstrates leadership and is a risk-taker.  She donned striped stockings and a huge top hat to read and entertain children at the Wayne County Reading Council’s Dr. Seuss Celebration.   She is an amazing and charismatic leader.  The Michigan Reading Association congratulates Agnes H. McLenaghan Kubrak as the Educator Award–Administrator recipient for 2007.

      
      Educator Award, Teacher Educator
      Jennifer A. Fontenot, Ed.D
      Eastern Michigan University
      Jennifer A. Fontenot, Ed.D., is this year’s recipient for the Teacher Educator Award. She is a Special Education Teacher for students with autism in Garden City and a Visiting Lecturer for Eastern Michigan University.  Dr. Fontenot has consistently provided students majoring in Special Education with current and cutting-edge information, practices, skills, and strategies pertaining to positive and effective classroom and behavior management.  She is a strong advocate for reading acquisition.  She has become masterful in differentiating instruction that targets reading skills needed for fluency and comprehension and highly engages students in their learning.  Dr. Fontenot transfers these instructional strategies to classroom teachers through modeling, district presentations, and co-teaching activities.  She has demonstrated true leadership in promoting materials and activities that influence student reading.  The Michigan Reading Association congratulates Jennifer A. Fontenot, Ed.D., as the Teacher Educator Award recipient for 2007.

      Thank you MRA Award Committee:

      Marcia K. Klemp, Patti Konarska, Joyce O’Brien Cradit, Geri Pappas, Roberta Rickett, and Sue Sharma

The Helen Gill Research Grant - Application

MRA Professional Development Grants - Application

Kaleidoscope

The Michigan Reading Association is sponsoring a great opportunity to have a student from your school building become published!
It’s as easy as…

1. Select a piece of writing from your school building. (Only one entry per school building will be accepted.)
2. Fill out a Kaleidoscope Student Information Sheet for each entry. Click here to open and print a copy of the 2008 Student Information Sheet.
3. Mail the writing and information by December 15, 2006

• Students Published in Kaleidoscope 2007 - click here.
• To order copies of Kaleidoscope 2004, 2005, or 2006– click here.
• Archive of published students:
  • 2004
  • 2005
  • 2006

Local/Special Interest Council Grants