The Montgomery County Board of Education recently announced its recipients for the 26th Annual Awards for Distinguished Service to Public Education. The awards recognize and show appreciation for exemplary contributions to public education and the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Nominations were received from the general community, as well as community organizations, businesses, school board members, and MCPS staff.
The honorees will be recognized during a ceremony Tuesday, May 9 at Carver Educational Services Center, 650 Hungerford Drive, Rockville. The festivities start at 6 p.m.
This year’s Distinguished Service Award winners are:
Individual Pioneer
- John J. McCarthy, Esq., State’s Attorney for Montgomery County
Community Individuals
- Jewru Bandeh, director, Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center
- Ricardo Loaiza, executive director, After School Dance Fund, Inc., Silver Spring
Community Groups
- Black Ministers Conference of Montgomery County Maryland
- CTE Healthcare Professions PAC and Sarah Walker, president
- Jewish Community Relations Council, North Bethesda
- Luis Cardona, administrator, Positive Youth Development, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, and Street Outreach Network (SONS)
- Huayuan Chinese Academy, Germantown
Business
- CAVA, Ted Xenohristos
MCPS Staff
- Aranda Brown, ESOL teacher, Gaithersburg High School
- Marianne Hamerski, administrative services manager, Office of the Deputy Superintendent
- Steven Lightman, physical education teacher, Bayard Rustin Elementary School
- Sara Lucas-Dreiss, teacher, Longview School
- Farzaneh Nabavian, parent community coordinator
- Cheryl Sellitti, teacher, Cold Spring Elementary School
- Sofia Vega-Ormeno, assistant principal, Col. Zadok Magruder High School
School Service Volunteer
- Hannah Lucas-Dreiss, 12th grade student, Poolesville High School
