Washington, D.C. - Donna McCreadie, a former 12th grade economics teacher at Temple City High School in Temple City, Los Angeles County, was recognized along with former President Bill Clinton at the National Education Association Foundation's 11th Annual "Salute to Excellence in Education Gala."
The former long-time CTA member of the Temple City Education Association retired Aug. 1 after 26 years of teaching. She still does volunteer work at her high school, leading students on history-oriented trips to Washington D.C. and other locations. She was honored at the Dec. 9 NEA event as a recipient of the "Horace Mann-NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence," which included $10,000 and financial support to attend the gala.
"Receiving this honor was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It never occurred to me that I would be recognized for my teaching in such a way," said McCreadie. "The award makes me so excited about education, and I am inspired to keep giving my all in the classroom."
McCreadie was nominated earlier this spring for the award by CTA. "She is an inspiration to us all and her creative spirit in the classroom deserves this national recognition," said CTA President Barbara E. Kerr.
As a result of her nomination, McCreadie received the "I CAN Learn-NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence" and went on to become a finalist for the "NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence," which carries a cash prize of $25,000, a personalized commemorative gift, and national recognition.
With financial support from The Horace Mann Companies, McCreadie flew to Washington, D.C. to be among more than 800 education and corporate leaders, and prominent public figures attending the event, which is held to honor individuals who have made exceptional contributions to public education.
McCreadie's students have typically scored in the top percentile on California's Golden State Exam in Economics. In a cross-campus teaching project, her high school students teach economics to elementary students using fairy tales as the basis for learning. Due to the success of this program, the model was adopted by other teachers. McCreadie was selected by the U.S. State Department to launch an exchange program with Russia, allowing her students to travel to Russia to teach economics to Russian students and learn about another culture.
Philip Forgit, a fourth-grade teacher at Williamsburg, Virginia's Rawls Byrd Elementary School who is currently serving as a U.S. Navy reservist in Iraq, was named the winner of the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. He was selected from five national finalists based on outstanding instructional expertise, attention to diversity, dedication to lifelong learning, and creativity and innovation. The recipient of the award receives an additional $25,000 and national recognition.
CTA is affiliated with the NEA, the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, college faculty, school administrators, education support professionals, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.
Visit www.neafoundation.org for more information on the foundation, the awards, and the gala.
The former long-time CTA member of the Temple City Education Association retired Aug. 1 after 26 years of teaching. She still does volunteer work at her high school, leading students on history-oriented trips to Washington D.C. and other locations. She was honored at the Dec. 9 NEA event as a recipient of the "Horace Mann-NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence," which included $10,000 and financial support to attend the gala.