The 25th annual Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust awards dinner

What: The 25th annual Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust awards dinner

When: 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016

Where: Diablo Country Club, 1700 Clubhouse Road, Diablo

Organization: Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust, www.eukeltrust.org

Contact: Alan Plutzik, aplutzik@bramsonplutzik.com, 925/945-0200

The Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust will reach a milestone this November. The non-profit will celebrate its silver anniversary when it hosts its 25th annual awards dinner on Nov. 17.

The organization will look back at its quarter-century of honoring Contra Costa County’s best teachers as well as feature video messages from some of its past recipients.

Most importantly, the Eukel Trust will shine a bright and worthy spotlight on the three teachers it is recognizing this year. All have shown creative and effective ways to inspire and educate the children in their classrooms.

Rebecca DeWeese of De La Salle High in Concord, Anthony Tammer of John Swett High in Crockett and Laurie Parker of Diablo View Middle School in Clayton are the trio of outstanding instructors honored this year. Each will receive a check for $10,000 that they can spend however they wish.

Rebecca DeWeese has taught for 14 years. Currently, she teaches art, health, life skills and study skills at De La Salle High. She is also co-moderator of the Horizon club, a support group for the LGBT community at the Catholic high school. She also serves as department chair for the school’s Visual and Performing Arts Department and helps plans the annual Social Justice Week and Diversity Week.

Tony Tammer has taught for 20 years. Currently, he teaches industrial arts at John Swett High, providing much-needed vocational education and training to the lower-income students of that area. Among other achievements, Tammer has formed partnerships with businesses and organizations that have allowed his students to connect with the Keck Telescope System in Hawaii, the prosthetics department at Shriners Hospital for Children in Sacramento and the nearby Phillips 66 refinery.

Laurie Parker has taught for 22 years. Currently, she teaches English/history core classes at Diablo View Middle School. At that campus, Parker is known as “Mama Bear” for the way she protects her students as well as her ability to “come out of hibernation” if they misbehave. She believes in instilling intrinsic motivation rather than “bribing” students with rewards. She also uses “grit units” to help her students learn lessons from struggling and failure.

The silver anniversary Eukel Teacher Trust’s 2015 Awards Dinner will be held Thursday, Nov. 17, at Diablo Country Club, beginning at 6 p.m. Renowned food and wine expert Narsai David will collaborate with premier Contra Costa County restaurants – Artison Bistro, Faz, Lark Creek Walnut Creek, Postino, Prima Ristorante, Diablo Country Club, and the Contra Costa College Culinary Arts Program, each of which will contribute a course to the Dinner. Former CBS 5 anchor Ann Notarangelo will serve as master of ceremonies. The awards dinner is open to the public.

Tickets for the dinner are $175.00 per person (of which $87.50 is a tax-deductible contribution) or $1,750 for a table of 10. For further information or to purchase tickets, please call 925/945-0200 or visit the organization’s website, www.eukelteachertrust.org.

The Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust, a community-based nonprofit, annually honors outstanding K-12 classroom teachers in Contra Costa County. The award winners are selected each year from teachers nominated by teaching colleagues, principals, parents and students. The Eukel Teacher Trust is funded by contributions from area businesses and community members. Since its inception in 1992, the Eukel Teacher Trust has made cash awards totaling more than $600,000 to 70 Contra Costa County teachers.