HCPSS Educators, Students Receive Awards

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Several staff members and students with Howard County Public School System were honored recently. Three HCPSS staff members and three students received gifted and talented education awards from the Maryland State Advisory Council on Gifted and Talented Education and the Maryland State Department of Education Gifted and Talented Office, as part of Maryland’s Gifted and Talented Education Month in February.

The HCPSS honorees include:

• Outstanding System Administrator:
• Sheree Whitby, Coordinator of Student Access and Achievement
• Outstanding Educator – Teacher as Leader:
• Lee Pfeifer, G/T Resource Teacher, Elkridge Elementary School
• Patricia Holy-Ilenda, G/T Resource Teacher, Elkridge Landing Middle School
• Outstanding Student Accomplishment:
• Victoria Ely, Long Reach High School
• Emily Gorny, Howard High School
• Marin Oehler, Howard High School

The National Art Education Association recently recognized Harper’s Choice middle school art teacher Samantha Waid with its 2020 New Professional Art Educator Award. This prestigious award, determined through a peer review of nominations, recognizes excellence and achievement by new art educators.

HVAC Academy instructor Keith Artley was recognized with the 2020 New Technology Education Teacher award by Technology and Engineering Educators of Maryland (TEEAM). Artley is the first classroom instructor for HCPSS’ HVAC Academy through Career and Technology Education at the Applications and Research Laboratory (ARL). He was featured in an HCPSS Staff Focus profile in May 2019.