Volunteers recognized by Mat-Su School District school board

At a May 15 Mat-Su School District School Board meeting, outstanding school volunteers (see list below) were recognized for making schools better places in which to learn and work.

At the meeting, several Valley teachers were honored by British Petroleum, Inc. (BP) for their teaching excellence.

Those teachers were: Edna Chicarell, Tanaina Elementary; Judy Reeder, Snowshoe Elementary; and Dewayne Joehnk, Wasilla Middle School.

The board also recognized all of the Spirit of Youth nominees from the Valley as well.

The Burchell High School dancers were finalists for the award, but the Valley had several nominees, including: Natalie Beach, Barianne Perkins and Tasha Justice, Colony High; the Palmer High School hockey team; and Sean Holland, James Klauder, and Jesse Thompson, Palmer High.

The volunteers who were recognized were:

Carolyn Bouchard, Houston -- Bouchard has volunteered as an athletic trainer for football, volleyball, basketball, and medical volunteer for wrestling tournaments.

Anne Riggs, Academy Charter School -- Riggs is the president of the Academy Advisory Board, which works to facilitate attainment of the goals and objectives. She has also held positions on various Academy Charter School committees through the years.

Jami Postishek, Su Valley -- Postishek spent four months with the cheerleading coach, attending afterschool practices, helping with Saturday clinics, and attending games.

Gordon Maher, Swanson -- Maher is retired and works in his wife's classroom from 7 a.m. until well into the night. He has copied many newsletters for the school office and works with the children on their reading.

Jackie Whitstine, Sherrod -- Whitstine has been involved at both Swanson and Sherrod. She serves as the PTA president, as a member of New Sherrod site selection committee, and as a member of New Sherrod building committee.

Maureen Strawn, Palmer Junior Middle School -- Strawn serves as a substitute for all sorts of different positions, and is always in the building long after the hours for which she is paid.

Nancy Bertels, Sutton -- She has spent many hours helping the school library, shelving, labeling and helping with book orders. She also spends time reading to students and has given many hours to the school's PTA organization.

Patti Castoe, Palmer High -- Castoe has been a school volunteer since her daughter, who is now in high school, was in kindergarten.

Dan Hoffman, Wasilla Middle School -- Hoffman spent hours and hours of his time with students putting on a melodrama called "Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch," including the audtions and production work of the show.

Pat Francois, Meadow Lakes Elementary -- Francois is the assistant librarian and volunteers as parent helper in several classrooms.

Joan Johnson, Snowshoe -- Johnson spends several days a week volunteering for her children's teachers.

Becky Baker, Pioneer Peak -- Baker organized the production of the school's yearbook and lends her time to classrooms.

Sherie Vieria, Colony Middle School -- Vieria is the volunteer coordinator, overseeing fund-raising for a school field trip, as well as volunteering at the school twice a week.

Bev Nash, Larson -- Nash has served on Larson's 1% for Arts committee, made a street marker sign for Larson, handles the recycling program, works with students to create art in the school and has facilitated the creation of a student memory book.

Mary Horman, Iditarod --Horman has helped classroom teachers every year to produce school projects such as the second-grade yearbooks. She has also taken on a project volunteering to help repair 211 computers donated by Providence Hospital and Mat-Su College.

Connie and James Pradis, Teeland Middle -- They have spent countless hours ordering supplies, organizing parent volunteers and managing the student store.

Cyndi Brown, Carrie Weinstein and Marianne Thomas, Midnight Sun -- Midnight Sun parents have logged more than 3,857 volunteer hours. They work with individual students, small groups, and with other tasks almost daily in the classrooms.

Katherine Sommers, Colony High School -- Sommers has been active volunteer in sports activities and well as in the office.

Sharon Ashe, Tanaina -- Ashe has instituted a holiday shopping store that helps fund the Homer Ocean Ecology Field Trip for fifth graders.

Mo Tvelia, Goose Bay -- Tvelia works in the school's library three days every week, reading to students, shelving books, repairing books and processing book returns.

Renae Ogle, Wasilla High -- Ogle is Wasilla High's PTSA President. Ogle has been a partner in assisting with the newsletter.

Valerie Jones, Big Lake -- A a one-of-a-kind volunteer who goes the extra mile to make the school a great place to learn and work.

Carolyn McCain, Willow -- Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday she volunteers in two primary classrooms. "Grandma" has been coming for three years now. She'll be 87 years young in May.

Charles Reynolds, Finger Lake -- Reynolds is a retired Valley teacher who has been working with Finger Lake students on a regular basis.

Audrey Badger, Butte -- Badger runs the book club as well as coordinates activities.

Julie Holbrook, Talkeetna -- Holbrook conducts art classes for the kindergarten/first grades and spends time finding projects suitable for the age group.

Lora Seaman, Cottonwood -- Seaman has given to Cottonwood Creek for many years. She is the president of the PTA and helps keep all of the school's many volunteers organized, as well as volunteers in classrooms throughout the school.