Congratulations to these 2004 Star Award Winners

Shining Star Award

Carol Comeau
ASD Superintendent

by

School Business Partnerships
Board of Directors

The School Business Partnership Board of Directors is proud to announce the 2004 SHINING STAR Award recognition of Carol Comeau, ASD Superintendent of Schools.

In 1974, Ms. Comeau began her employment with the ASD as a noon-duty attendant and teacher aide at Ocean View Elementary.From there, she spent 11 years teaching at Ocean View and Spring Hill Elementary,and then in 1987, she became the principal at Orion Elementary.

In 1990, she became the executive director of elementary education, in 1993, she was appointed as the assistant superintendent, and in 2000, she was appointed as the ASD Superintendent of Schools. A real leader knows that it is impossible to achieve success without a strong team. Leaders must exemplify skill, poise, confidence, integrity, and enthusiasm to rally the spirit of their team. It is that spirit of teamwork that has helped to move the School Business Partnership Program forward during her years as superintendent. She listens. She gets involved.

One of Ms. Comeau’s most outstanding leadership qualities is her example of always offering a heartfelt thank you.Her thank you may be verbally expressed at a large gathering of business leaders, a School Board Meeting, or it might be written in a monthly update to the community. Probably one of the most common ways is her reply to the hundreds of e-mails she must read every week.

Superintendent Carol Comeau,thank you for your shining example to our community!

ASD Star Award

Alaska Airlines
Karla Korman, 266-7243

partnered with

Anchorage School District
Carol Comeau, ASD Superintendent

Alaska Airlines has provided many contributions to the School Business Partnership Program over the years,but in the fall of 2003, when SBP eliminated the full-time Executive Director’s position due to budget constraints, Alaska Airlines stepped forward with unprecedented assistance.

Karla Korman, Manager, Employee Services at Alaska Airlines offered to serve as the Co-Chair of the SBP Board of Directors during the 2003-2004 school year, then utilized as many as six of her local staff within the Employee Services Division, to support the SBP Program in the following ways:

• Alaska Airlines hosted an open house and tour for the King Career Center (KCC) faculty. Assistance was provided for resumes, mock job interviews and apprenticeships for the King Career Center’s Aviation Technology and Business Technology Programs.The airline also facilitated a mentorship and OJT with a KCC Computer Science student and the Alaska Airlines Communication Department.
• Alaska Airlines employees updated the SBP database and offered additional administrative help.
• Alaska Airlines coordinated the plan for a fundraiser - a student-designed calendar project of original quotes and artwork - theme,What I’ve Learned So Far… to involve ASD youth,grades K-12.Alaska Airlines prepared a power point explanation of the project for all ASD principals .Beginning in January of 2004, School Business Partnerships initiated collaboration between the business community and the school community to create the professional 366-page, student designed calendar. Almost 1600 students from over 40 schools participated! Currently,Alaska Airlines is providing funds to print the calendar.
• Alaska Airlines staff developed the application for the National School and Business Partnerships Award valued at $10,000. Alaska Airlines recognizes the value in giving back to the community and its schools, through its active involvement in the School Business Partnership Program.

ASD Star Award

Wells Fargo Bank
Richard Strutz

partnered with

Anchorage School District
Carol Comeau, ASD Superintendent

Wells Fargo has a long-standing, positive working relationship with the Anchorage School District. Throughout the years,the company has established more than 14 Partnership agreements with schools throughout the district. Specifically,Wells Fargo has contributed in the following ways:

• Bank on U High School Internship/Scholarship Program– Provides employment, hands-on training,and mentoring to eligible students. Participants receive a $10,000 scholarship upon completion.
• Bank Within East – Literally a bank within East High School, where the tellers are students, and other students and faculty can make withdrawals, deposits and receive account information. Wells Fargo Russian Jack Store team members train teachers and students and oversee operations of the “branch.”
• Financial education curriculum such as Hands on Banking shows Wells Fargo’s commitment to the educational process and building bright financial futures for Alaskans. This innovative online program is designed for self-paced, individual learning, as well as classrooms and community groups. Hands on Banking covers topics such as budgeting,the importance of saving,bank accounts and services,borrowing money and establishing good credit, and investing. The program meets or exceeds education standards in math,literacy,and economics.
• Last fall,Wells Fargo President Richard Strutz wrote an Anchorage Daily News article entitled,“How Your Business Can Support Education.”
• Wells Fargo employees collected school supplies to donate to students in need, in conjunction with the H.U.G.S.S. (Helping Us Give School Supplies) and Coats for Kids community-wide donation campaign for low-income families.
• A $100,000 donation was made on January 12, 2004 to help the district recover from the loss of a relocatable classroom to arson earlier in the school year.
• As part of Wells Fargo’s Team Up for Our Schools campaign, a $12,880 donation was made on February 4, 2004 to the ASD.

Star Award

The Alaska Railroad
Patrick Flynn, Public Affairs, 265-2695

partnered with

Government Hill Elementary
Sandy Stephens, Principal, 742-5000

The Alaska Railroad has been a SBP with Government Hill Elementary School for over 10 years. The physical proximity made the connection natural; the dedication of the Railroad employees made it a success.

Over the years, Jim Blasingame and his crew have made a commitment to provide funds, expertise, and may pairs of willing hands to help the school succeed.

The Back-to-School Barbeque is an annual Railroad event. In recent years, Patrick Flynn of the Railroad’s Public Affairs, has provided party tents, tables, BBQ equipment, food, door prizes, and manpower to create a family friendly introduction to the school year. They also provide staff lunches at various other in-service days throughout the year. Generosity is always evident from the Alaska Railroad!

• December - Grades K-3 holiday train trip
• January – Spelling Bee judges and prizes
• March – Science Fair judges
• Late Spring – Government Hill takes part in the Railroad’s yearly Open House. The school mans the only hot dog concession at the event to raise PTA funds.

In these and so many other ways, Government Hill School has been blessed in the association with the Alaska Railroad. They have gone beyond being a SBP to becoming a good neighbor and friend to 500 students and their families!

Star Award

Northrim Bank
Darci Ornellas, Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager, 261-3521

partnered with

Huffman Elementary School
Jim Kurka, Principal, 742-5650

Huffman Elementary and Northrim Bank entered into a SBP during the 1995-1996 school year. Marc Langland, president of Northrim Bank assigned Betty Carlson as the bank’s liaison for the school. During the nine years as a SBP, each of Northrim’s liaisons has been profoundly effective and instrumental in coordinating supportive activities for Huffman students. Some of the liaisons are as follows: Betty Carlson, Kelly Thomson, Tammy Ferriss, and Darci Ornellas. Northrim has supported the following:

• Personal finance course to intermediate classes
• Student and teacher recognition support
• Fundraising donations to PTA’s Family Math and Science Night
• Donations for Autumn and Spring Carnivals
• Battle of the Books Supporter
• School-wide Disaster Preparedness Drill
• “Champion”sponsor of Character Building Musical – “A Better You, A Better Me”
• Accelerated Reader and Accelerated Math program
• Software and computer server purchases

Northrim has been a dedicated SBP, always flexible and supportive! Their involvement and commitment to Huffman School has made a profound difference for all students!

Star Award

Providence Health System & Esther Petrie’s
To Russia with Love Program
Esther Petrie,Providence Emergency Room
Staff Nurse, 337-4056
Kathleen Barrows, Coordinator for
Community Partnerships, 261-4944

partnered with

Chugiak High School
Valerie Ekberg-Brown,Russian teacher,742-3050

In 1999,Valerie Ekberg-Brown, Russian teacher at Chugiak High, and Esther Petrie, Providence emergency room staff nurse, established a SBP to enhance the service project,“To Russia with Love.”

Since 1989, Esther has been collecting and personally packing tons of donated medical supplies and sending them to countries in need. She started this humanitarian project with the former Soviet Union nearly 10 years ago, and she now packs medical supplies such as crutches, braces, splints and wheelchairs, then ships them to many other countries.

In this year’s holiday note she wrote that she was able to send 9,508 pounds to Mexico, Peru, Gambia, China, Mongolia, Belize, Russia, Greece, Nepal, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Namibia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Thailand, Malawi, Dominican Republic, India, and Egypt. The Partnership has included :

• Guest speaker to Russian classes
• Coordination of donations of medical supplies, old suitcases and duffle bags with Russian classes, Russian Club and Russian exchange students
• Collaboration with Sears to collect damaged suitcases
• Collaboration with Alaska Airlines for donations of unclaimed or damaged luggage

Kathleen Barrows, Providence’s Coordinator for Community Partnerships has made the following contributions to Chugiak High:

• Job application skill instructions for100 students
• Job shadow and mentorship experiences and guest speakers Providence Health System is most deserving of a STAR Award!

Rookie Award

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers,Local 1547
Dora Wilson,Records Management Specialist, 777-7225

partnered with

Denali Elementary School
Karen Rigg,Principal, 742-4500

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1547 (IBEW) spearheaded the effort to initiate the SBP with Denali Elementary. This was done through the efforts of several of its members: Dora Wilson, Records Manager; Melinda Taylor, Communication Director and Jackie Endsley, Community Coordinator. IBEW’s contributions to Denali:

• Back to School Picnic – Dedication of Denali’s new building. IBEW purchased all of the food, provided volunteers to assist at the picnic, and sent Fire Fighters from Station 1 to spend time with students. The Superintendent, School Board Members, Government Officials, Denali alumnus and the Denali school community attended this memorable event. IBEW helped to ensure the success of this event, and it surpassed all expectations.
• October – PTA Halloween Carnival – IBEW donated 30 passes to H20asis Waterpark.
• October – Electrical Safety presentation to 4th, 5th, and 6th graders
• November – Parade of Lights - Float Design Contest – the Grand Prize winner: Colton Collins, 2nd grader “Let there be light” theme for the IBEW float
• December – Pizza party and Barnes & Noble gift certificates in special recognition for 6 students who donate recess time to assist in cleaning the lunchroom
• February – Ice Cream Social

IBEW has put forth a tremendous amount of effort to contribute to the Denali community. They have sponsored activities that are school centered and allow the students the opportunity to be more involved in the community.

Educator Award

Dustin Hawes
Mears Middle School Teacher

by

Mears Students

Mears teacher, Dustin Hawes was the inspiration for our Panther Pride Café Coffee Cart, a School Business Partnership Class (SBPC) program. Mr. Hawes was selected to co-teach the class with Ms. Carrie Sumner because of his degree in business and his great relationship with kids.

At the beginning of the year,Ms. Sumner was in charge of the SBPC Coffee Cart, and Mr. Hawe's worked on projects with us in the classroom. We wrote business plans, did fund raisers, and organized some community service projects. We even started a paper recycling program within our own school. When Ms. Sumner discovered she was very allergic to coffee, Mr. Hawes was there to come forward and assume responsibility for the cart.

Now, he arrives at school over an hour early every day to help us set up and operate the café. He helps us learn customer service skills, phone skills, restaurant service and overall business skills. He is a well-liked teacher throughout our building and students compete to get into his classes. He is very patient, gladly offering to help those who are struggling or in need of assistance with their work or in their lives.

Mr. Hawes assisted and performed in the school play last year, and is planning to perform in this year’s play too. He created a video of his month long visit to Kenya last year. He has written a lesson plan packet for 7th grade teachers.

Mr. Hawes has been a wonderful asset to the SBP Program as well as to Mears Middle School in general!

Student Award

Andrew George
Mirror Lake Middle School

by

Emily Blahous,teacher,742-3500

Andrew George, 8th grade, is Mirror Lake Middle School’s student technology specialist. Never has Mirror Lake had a student so technologically intuitive, knowledgeable, imaginative or determined as Andrew. Since he was a new 6th grader and school radio team member,Andrew has been involved in every aspect of the video and radio productions.

Andrew has been active as the liaison in Mirror Lake’s SBP with University of Alaska Anchorage, School of Journalism and Communication. Field trips to UAA and subsequent visits to Mirror Lake from professors, student broadcasters and technology experts revealed Andrew’s extensive knowledge and abilities in their fields.

Andrew also has built a wonderful relationship with our mentor,Alaska communication pioneer and friend, Augie Hiebert. Augie sees in Andrew some of the same inquisitiveness and drive that he remembers in himself at the young age of 13.

Field trips to Channel #11 further provided career ideas and as Andrew saw not only the broadcast strands of communication, but the behind the camera production end of television as well.

Andrew impacts all the students and staff at Mirror Lake. He has been the “go to person”when technology problems arise on the video team. Andrew can always solve technical problems so that our daily video news is not only never late, but also always a quality production. He has also been the“ main man”for our weekly radio broadcasts. The broadcasts include weekly school news with timely and informative interviews with students and staff.

It is hopeful that Andrew’s ardent interest in the evolving mass media career pathway will continue as he enters high school, and that he will continue to help us mentor the “next generation.”

Student Award K

Dana Hubbard
West High School

by

Ginny Cress, SBP Student Board Coordinator

Dana Hubbard is a sophomore at West High School, and has been involved in School Business Partnerships since she was a 7th grader in Romig’s School Business Partnership Class (SBPC). She served on the SBP Board of Directors as a 7th grader and the SBP Student board since the board was established in the fall of 2001.

In January of 2003, Coca-Cola came to the student board and offered to donate a booth for the Saturday Market. As a 9th grader,Dana Hubbard was the driving force for making the booth become a reality and a fundraising success. She handled the majority of the paper work and was the keeper of the calendar for scheduling student volunteers. Dana also helped establish a partnership with Big Game Alaska who allowed the student board to sell souvenirs from their gift shop at the Saturday Market. Dana worked the majority of the Saturdays from May until September. She was often times the only student from the board present and she remained highly dedicated to the agreement between Coca-Cola and Big Game Alaska.Her dedication and organizational skills were the reason the Student Board was able to start the 2003-2004 school year with money in their account.

Dana is now Chair of the SBP Student Board and runs every meeting with enthusiasm and purpose. She is patient and responds positively to suggestions made by other students and board members. She is a great asset to the board and a role model for other students to look up to and follow.

Dana is an example of commitment and dedication - serving her community through the Student Board; both at West High and at the ASD level.

Congratulations to all the STAR Award nominees

Star

Alaska Railroad by Government Hill
Bezek Durst Seiser by Creekside Community School
Blockbuster Video by Central Middle School
Cook Inlet Tribal Council by West High
Costco on Dimond by Willow Crest Elementary
Dimond Alumni by Dimond High
Northrim Bank by Huffman Elementary
Providence Health System by Chugiak High
U.S. Marines by Wendler Middle School

Rookie

Animal Food Warehouse by Service High
Boys and Girls Club by East High
Coca-Cola by the SBP Student Board
Denali Alaska Federal Credit Union by Baxter Elementary
IBEW, Local 1547 by Denali Elementary
Sicily's Pizza by the Newcomer Program at KCC
Subway of Alaska by Abbott Loop Elementary
UAA by Wendler Middle School
Village Inn on Spenard by Northwood Elementary

Educator

Jan Slattery, teacher, East High
Dustin Hawes, teacher, Mears Middle School
Lou Ann Clark, Russian Jack teacher; David Leach, East High Teacher & Lou Pondolfino, Assistant Principal, East High
Shannon Donley, Russian Jack teacher and Karen Shaw, Russian Jack Principal
Brenda Zabel, teacher; Bev Bain, teacher assistant; & Bufford, the dog of Service High
Walter Weaver, teacher, Wendler

Student

Genevieve Gisler, Central Middle School by Janna Walker, teacher
Misty Eisel of East High by Staci Yecker, teacher
Andrew George of Mirror Lake Middle School by Emily Blahous, teacher
Dana Hubbard of West High by Ginny Cress, Student Board Coordinator