June 2, 2016 -- On May 13, a small group of CH-UH students and professionals were celebrated at the Cuyahoga County Annual Excellence in Education Recognizing Students with Disabilities, Peers and Educators Awards. The awards recognize, celebrate and honor students with disabilities and acknowledge outstanding achievements, both academic and non-academic, as well outstanding educators that instruct and/or support them.
Two students from Oxford and Noble were nominated and received the 2016 Outstanding Student Achievement award. Superintendent Dr. Talisa Dixon, Noble principal Rachael Coleman and Amy Kerr Jung, Reaching Heights Parent Mentor, were all in attendance. Dr. Robert Mengerink, Superintendent of the Educational Service Center of Cuyahoga County, offered opening remarks.
Noble third grader Reid Autero and Oxford fifth grader Willtrell Hartson received the 2016 Outstanding Student Achievement award. Coordinator of Special Education Judy Dell’Aquila and Roxboro Middle School Special Education paraprofessional Brandon Biggom were recognized for excellence as educators. In order to be recognized, each educator had to be nominated by three or more parents, administrators or coworkers. Eight other students and three teachers from area schools were also recognized.
Keynote speaker Dana Sims, a graduate from Warrensville High School in 2005, spoke about her challenges with relationships, and her journey living on the autism spectrum. She designed and maintains an autism outreach website called Breakthrough Autism as well as other autism resources on social media. Sims was recognized for the website in 2012 and received the Self Advocacy Award by The Arc of Greater Cleveland the same year.
Noble parent Margy Rupp Autero said, “Reid’s teachers and interventionists have done and continue to do amazing things for him. The staff at Noble is top notch, and the partnership between the neighborhood and this school cannot be beat. This school should be proud of the work it's doing in special education.”
Dr. Dixon will publicly recognize the recipients of the Annual Excellence in Education Awards at the June 7 Board of Education meeting at 7 p.m. The meeting will take place in the cafeteria at Heights High School.