Nine educators from Fayette County were recognized as Educators of the Year by the Fayette Chamber of Commerce.
"Our awardees are always excellent in their fields, but this year's winners were exceptional where as they represented so many different facets of education in Fayette County," chamber Executive Director Muriel J. Nuttal said.
"We applaud them in their efforts to continue to bring the highest of quality in education to Fayette County."
Eligible educators range from teachers and principals to bus drivers and secretaries.
"When this started, there was only one educator chosen that represented the entire county," Nuttal said. "In 1996, we changed the format, whereas one award can be given to someone from each school district within Fayette County."
This year, almost 60 candidates were presented for consideration, and members of the chamber and its education council chose those who would become recipients.
Rosemary Novotny of the Albert Gallatin School District was among them.
Novotony, who has taught for 31 years, is a learning support teacher in the district's middle school, an award-winning sponsor of the yearbook, and keeps busy with projects involving military support, and Learning for Life with the Boy Scouts.
"This was such a great honor," Novotony said. "I'm happy for all the winners and just thrilled to be a part of this group."
Connellsville Junior High East Principal Charles Geyer also was a recipient and has been involved in education for 25 years. One of Geyer's most notable contributions was a resource library that he created for new teachers.
"This man took a school where morale was low and students seemed to be in control, to a school in which we are very proud to work and to educate our own children," stated one of Geyer's nominations.
James Natale from Frazier School District was honored. An educator for 38 years, Natale recently was chosen as "Innovator of the Year" by The Journal Magazine and was selected to receive the Middle School Teacher Excellence Award.
Chosen from the Laurel Highlands school district was math teacher John Sharp, who is known for bringing the real world into his classrooms using his background in banking and retail.
Michelle Komacek of the Uniontown Area School District is a third-grade teacher in Menallen Elementary. One of her most noted projects is the conversion of a used courtyard in an outdoor learning environment called Menallen Outdoor Learning Environment.
Susan Gessner has been instructing students in the medical program at Laurel Business Institute for nine years. The former nurse turned educator was the recipient of the Outstanding Instructor award from the Pennsylvania Association of Private School Administrators.
Working with children for more than three decades, Catherine Lipniskas is a kindergarten teacher at Rainbow Dreams in Uniontown. Lipniskas teaches her students the basics of sign language, among her other duties.
Returning to teaching after retiring, Carolyn "Susie" Maykuth is enjoying her second career in education. Maykuth is the kindergarten teacher at All Saints Regional School in Masontown.
"I feel really honored," Maykuth said. "And I am very honored to be surrounded by the best people. They have backed me and the entire staff is just wonderful."
Jennifer Deichert of the Laurel Highlands School district is the manager of the Fast Forward computer lab, which assists students with learning skills. Deichert manages the "Reading Counts" program in R.W. Clark Elementary school.
Sponsors included the Uniontown Mall, Laurel Business Institute, Bob and Marilyn Garbart, Daniel and Mary Jane Glitz and the Community Engagement Group.
All of the teachers were recognized at an informal reception, then later received their awards during the Fayette Chamber awards banquet.
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