Champions of Diversity & Equity Awards
On June 3rd, the Diversity & Equity Office of the Burlington School District, in partnership with the Social Equity Investment Project and the City of Burlington presented the 1st Annual 2009 Champions of Diversity & Equity Awards at Contois Hall. This was an opportunity to celebrate diversity and equity as reflected in our children’s school districts. The event highlighted the everyday ABC Champions most ideal qualities and accomplishments that Affirm the rich social, cultural diversity in our schools; Build communities across differences and for common purposes; and Create a culture for leadership, action, and social change for our kids.
Mayor Bob Kiss kicked off the awards ceremony as nearly 200 excited community members attended and applauded with great pride and celebration as Nancy Zahniser retired principal of Champlain Elementary School and Patrick Brown who arrived in Burlington 26 years ago, director of the Greater Burlington Multicultural Resource Center received lifetime achievement awards. Their work over the years coupled with the ceremony now provides enormous opportunities to move beyond cultural differences to build inclusive communities which create equitable leadership and positive social change.
Other award recipients included student Nicole Murphy of Burlington High School; Joy Kipp, an art teacher at Hunt Middle School; Michael Wood-Lewis, a Burlington parent who is leading a drive to make Edmunds Middle School handicapped accessible; Denise Dunbar, coordinator of Reading to End Racism of Chittenden County; and Nimo Girreh, a Burlington school district bilingual/bicultural home school liaison.
Partnering organizations for the eventincluded: Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV), Bosnian Lilies/Bosnia and Herzegovina Family and Youth Association, Fletcher Free Library, Legacy Project, Greater Burlington Multicultural Resource Center, King Street Center, RU12? Community Center, United Way of Chittenden County, Vermont Teacher Diversity Scholarship Program and Statewide Teacher Diversity Initiative, and We All Belong.