2018 Excellence in Education Awards Celebrate Stamford Community

STAMFORD, CT—April 4, 2018—Three hundred community members gathered in the ballroom of the Sheraton Stamford Hotel on March 22nd during the 2018 Excellence in Education Awards, waiting in anticipation to see which of the nineteen worthy nominees would receive this year’s Stamford Public Education Foundation (SPEF) Educator Award. When the name was announced, Rippowam Middle School Media Specialist Ellie Kousidis proudly took the stage and accepted her award from SPEF CEO Matthew Quinones. In addition to the award, Kousidis received a $1,000 donation for her learning environment.

Two additional awards were presented during the ceremony. Stamford Public Schools Superintendent Earl Kim presented the SPEF Leadership Award to Nancy Freedman, for her exemplary dedication to enriching the lives of students in Stamford’s public schools, most notably producing the Stamford All-School Musical for ten years. Board of Education President David Mannis presented the SPEF Philanthropy Award to Near & Far Aid, for its tireless pursuit of eliminating poverty in Fairfield Country through finding and funding programs that seek to achieve lasting change and for its generosity in helping SPEF pursue its mission. The award was accepted by Near & Far Aid President Kim Meier.

The evening began with a networking and cocktail reception featuring a silent auction and beer and wine tastings courtesy of Two Roads Brewing Company and Domaine Bousquet Winery. The reception was followed by the awards ceremony, which was led by the Master of Ceremonies, Arda Ocal, who kept the crowd laughing all night. SPEF Board President Barbara Aronica-Buck opened the ceremony by welcoming the guests and a mentor-mentee pair from SPEF’s Stamford Mentoring Program delivered a heart-warming tribute to the program and its impact. The night’s musical entertainment included cocktail hour music by Aaron Staniulis, a rendition of the National Anthem by Stamford High School ninth-grader Nina Giancola, and a stirring performance of “Lean on Me” by Hannah Cassara, all from Pop Music Academy.

All proceeds from the 2018 Excellence in Education Awards benefit SPEF’s educational programs including its nationally-recognized flagship program, the Stamford Mentoring Program. SPEF is especially grateful to the sponsors of the evening for their support, including: Garden Homes (Title Sponsor); AXA Investment Managers and Pitney Bowes (Summa Cum Laude); NatWest Markets and State Street Global Advisors (Magna Cum Laude); First County Bank, Robert and Patricia Phillips, and Synapse Group (Cum Laude); Bourgeon Capital Management, Berkowitz and Hanna LLC, Eleanor and Mort Lowenthal, Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Eileen and Fred Springer, Stamford Bank and Trust, and Wofsey, Rosen, Kweskin, and Kuriansky LLP (Honors); and Serendipity and Hey Stamford (Media).

About SPEF: Founded in 1996, the mission of the Stamford Public Education Foundation (SPEF) is to deliver educational programs and resources that elevate student, educator, and parent success by bridging the gap between needs in the Stamford Public Schools and resources in our community. The Foundation strives to enable each and every student in the Stamford Public Schools to graduate high school and enter college, career training, or fulltime employment ready to succeed. For further information, visit www.spefct.org.