Classroom 'heroes' honored

"Sometimes all we hear about are the negatives," said Muriel Nuttall, executive director of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, about people who choose to be in the education field.

Nuttall said the Educator of the Year event is a way to highlight both the positives of all levels of education and those who are the everyday heroes.

The first Educator of the Year reception was held in 1989 with only one recipient; that tradition continued for years until 1996 when the chamber honored four educators from area school districts.

The number of recipients has increased over the years from seven to nine and has included not only educators in public school districts, but also those working in post-secondary schools, private and parochial schools, early childhood education and special education.

One other addition to the event was the Student Scholarship Award, which was instituted last year to recognize five outstanding students and to award them $500 each to be used toward continuing their education.

However, the ceremony held at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown was mainly for the local educators.

"Some teachers view what they do as a job, which is fine as long as they do a good job," said Lillian Cale, chairwoman for the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce Education Council.

Cale said there are other teachers who consider their work as careers, which she said is better because they dedicate more of their energy to their jobs.

"Then there are those master educators who view it as their vocation or their calling," Cale said. "They make a difference in the lives of students at all different levels."

Cale said those master educators have the "awesome responsibility" to mold and shape all of our futures.

One of those educators honored was Gary Wandel, a math teacher at Connellsville Area High School for 35 years.

McLuckey said as a teacher, no one comes any better, based on comments from teachers, students, administrators and parents.

Beyond math, Wandel is a Boy Scout leader, is involved with both the homecoming court and the prom, serves on numerous committees, volunteers for school musicals and performs in the Molinaro Band.

He also organizes the Connellsville bell-ringing campaign for the Salvation Army, bringing in $50,000 last year.

"I'm very fortunate to be in the career and that I love what I'm doing," Wandel said.

Along with teaching Advanced Placement calculus or trigonometry, Wandel said he also reads "Chicken Soup for the Soul," the series of inspirational books, to his students.

"They hang on every word because they want to know about life and what's ahead," Wandel said.

In Uniontown, a guidance counselor from Benjamin Franklin School, Jacqueline Goldberg, was honored as well.

Mary Jane Glitz, a lead support teacher for Intermediate Unit I, first met Goldberg back when Goldberg was a second-grade teacher who brought in special guests to speak to her students about their hobbies.

Goldberg also taught her students to give back to the community.

"She taught each student they can contribute to the world," Glitz said. "She motivates through kindness and generosity."

Goldberg said her road to education started with her mother, a kindergarten teacher who had a majority of her students reading when they left her class.

"That surprised me," Goldberg said.

Another inspiration in her life was her father, who was a highly respected meat cutter in the county and instilled in her a work ethic that she applies when she's on the job.

"My former teachers also encouraged me to become a teacher," Goldberg said.

Even though she has had plenty of inspiration to help her become a teacher and then a guidance counselor, it's the hundreds of former students and parents who make her job heartwarming.

Students introduce her to their future spouses and want her to meet their newborn children -- and it all keeps Goldberg going.

"If not for them, I wouldn't be here," she said.

Also honored at the event was Jane Pramuk, from the Albert Gallatin Area School District; David Karwatsky, Frazier School District; Richard Bobincheck, Laurel Highlands; Jes Hutson, Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus; Melvyn Sepic, St. Mary Nativity School in Uniontown; Pam Herron, Intermediate Unit I; and Christine Sanner, Uniontown Area YMCA's Learning Center.

The students honored were Matthew Cavalcante from Albert Gallatin Area High School; Jessica Barcelo, Frazier High School; Caroline Gessner, Geibel Catholic High School; Troy Lowery, Laurel Highlands High School; and Joshua Fronczek, Uniontown Area High School.

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