It was a starry evening at the Learning Leading Awards ceremony at Murphy High School. Students, teachers, administrators and community partners shared the spotlight as MCPSS honored outstanding student leaders and administrators; National Board Certified Teachers; elected officials; and community stakeholders who have stepped up to support the school system.
The four countywide Learning Leading Award winners and all 90 of the school system's Learning Leading Award winners received special recognition during the ceremony. The four countywide winners are Rylan Besaw of Gilliard Elementary, Anniston Byrd of McDavid-Jones Elementary, Benjamin Stringfellow of Phillips Preparatory and Farah Hujier of Davidson High.
The three countywide Teachers of the Year, Dr. Chelsea Tanous of Davidson, Daniela Yunker of Barton Academy and Jennifer Asbury of Council Traditional, were also honored during the ceremony.
The Learning Leading Impact Award recipients were:
• MCPSS Academic Affairs Division: 83/B State Report Card
• MCPSS Finance Division
• MCPSS School Counseling Services
• Alabama Possible
• Alabama Representatives Barbara Drummond and Chris Pringle
• Alabama’s Top 25 Schools: Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies, Council Traditional School, Eichold-Mertz School of Math, Science and Technology, and Old Shell Road School of Creative and Performing Arts.
• Dr. Carl Cunningham Jr., Dean of Students at Bishop State Community College and Guide Right Director of the Mobile Kappa League
• Mobile Chamber
• Mobile Coca-Cola Bottling Company
The Murphy High Four Arts performers kicked off the festivities by introducing Superintendent Chresal D. Threadgill during the opening number, "Emerald City Ballet." The students also performed musical numbers from "The Wiz" and "Wicked." Morgan Zaborney, a senior at Baker High, served as the event's student host, along with host Rena Philips, MCPSS Director of Communication.
The evening included many special moments, but one of the most poignant was Mr. Threadgill's introduction of the award for the district's State Report Card, when he invited representatives from a variety of departments and Board of School Commissioners President Sherry Dillihay-McDade to join him on stage as a way to emphasize that the grade was a shared achievement and a tangible result of everyone working together.
The ceremony was filmed by the mcpssTV Department and will soon be available on the school system's YouTube channel.