Champions of Diversity & Equity

Channel 17 Video  |  2010 Nominees  |  Mayor’s Proclamation  |  2009 Champions


L-to-R at 2010 event: Superintendent Jeanné Collins and Director of Diversity & Equity Dan Balón
with award recipients—family of Melissa Zeno Parker (Dusty, Glenna, Jordan, and Mr. Allen Parker),
CJ Bigsby, Kim-Anh Dinh, family of Huong Thanh Nguyen (Johnny, Michael, and Mr. Dung Tran),
and Angela Shea at the 2nd annual Burlington School District Champions of Diversity &
Equity Awards Ceremony. (photo taken by Wanda Hines)

 

2010 BSD Champions Honored at 2nd Annual Event

On a day when Mayor Bob Kiss proclaimed that November 17, 2010 be “Burlington Diversity & Equity Day,” 63 nominees were recognized and honored at the 2nd annual Burlington School District Champions of Diversity & Equity awards ceremony at Contois Auditorium in Burlington City Hall. The BSD Champions of Diversity & Equity awards ceremony was sponsored by the Diversity & Equity Office, in partnership with the Social Equity Investment Project and the City of Burlington.

Nominations were submitted in an open process during the Spring for awards in five categories: student, teacher, staff, parent/family, and community member/agency. The inaugural event has last held in Spring 2009. Dr. Dan Balón, Director of Diversity & Equity for the Burlington School District, introduced and facilitated the event to acknowledge the recipients who are everyday individuals who represent the most ideal qualities and accomplishments that:

  • AFFIRM the rich social, cultural diversity in our schools;
    • BUILD communities across differences and for common purposes; and
      • CREATE a culture for leadership, action, and social change for our kids.

Dr. Balón stated, “We have many leaders among us who work towards equity, and this annual event creates a community space for us to honor and acknowledge these visible and constant efforts in a moment of celebration.”

 

2010 Champions of Diversity & Equity Award Recipients

Student Award:
C.J. Bigsby, Smith Elementary (currently Hunt Middle School)

Teacher Award:
Brooke King, Amy LaChance, Deirdre Morris (2/3 Teaching Team),
Sustainability Academy

Melissa Zeno Parker Staff Award:
Angela Shea, Social Worker, Edmunds Middle School

Huong Thanh Nguyen Parent Award:
Kim-Anh Dinh

Community Member Award:
Linda Hamlin, Sara Holbrook Community Center

Lifetime Achievement:
Huong Thanh Nguyen
Melissa Zeno Parker

 

In her keynote address to a packed auditorium, Vermont State Representative Kesha Ram from Chittenden County reminded the students and adults in our schools that they are living the future now. Her comments touched on our obligations to give back to the community in honor of those who have called upon each of us to live to our fullest potential. Additional speakers included past award recipients, former students and staff, community members, and Superintendent Jeanné Collins. One of the presenters and past award recipients, Denise Dunbar, reflected that “this is a wonderful time to notice the work of the District and those behind the scenes and on the front stage standing up against injustice and creating change.”

 

Dr. Dan Balón and Vermont State Representative Kesha Ram at 2010 Burlington School District
Champions of Diversity & Equity Awards Ceremony. Representative Ram was the event’s
keynote speaker. (photo taken by Wanda Hines)

 

Two lifetime achievement awards were given at the event by the Burlington School District to pay tribute to two Champions who passed away recently. The family of Huong Thanh Ngyuen was present to receive a lifetime achievement award in her honor in the parent category. Mr. Dung Tran and his two boys accepted the presentation amidst a picture backdrop of Huong displayed to the tearful audience. In comments read during the ceremony about his former staff colleague Melissa Parker, Burlington Food Services Director Doug Davis stated, “In the six years I worked with her, she always put the needs of the students first and would do whatever was necessary to be sure they went home with warm clothes and full bellies...It was clear to me that she was as important to her community as it was to her; she continues to be easily remembered and greatly missed.” Both Champions of Diversity & Equity awards in their respective parent and staff categories were renamed in honor of these two lifetime achievement recipients. Wanda Hines, Director of the Social Equity Investment Project, made closing remarks.

 


Denise Dunbar (2009 award recipient) presents this year’s community member award to
Linda Hamlin of the Sara Holbrook Community Center. (photo taken by Wanda Hines)

 

The Champions of Diversity Equity awards are sponsored by the Diversity & Equity Office of the Burlington School District, in partnership with the Social Equity Investment Program and the City of Burlington. We are grateful for our partnering organizations which include: Burlington Police Department, Community and Economic Development Office - We All Belong AmeriCorps program, Fletcher Free Library, Sara Holbrook Community Center, Outright Vermont, United Way of Chittenden County, Vermont Multicultural Alliance for Democracy, YWCA Vermont, among others.

 


Nominated for her contributions as a student at Smith Elementary School, CJ Bigsby poses
in front of Mercedes Mack of the Burlington School District. (photo taken by Wanda Hines)

     

Our 2010 Nominees:

Download 2010 Nominees list (PDF)

 

Student category:

Carol (C.J.) Bigsby, Smith Elementary (nominated May 2010 - currently Hunt Middle School)

Zeinab Bulle, Burlington High School

Rocko Gieselman, Burlington High School

Xiaojun (Junie) Huang, Burlington High School

Awil Hussein, Burlington High School

Stella Mizero, Burlington High School

Amila Semic, Hunt Middle School

 

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Teacher category:

Mel Daigle, Hunt Middle School

Lili Howes, Flynn Elementary

Brooke King, Amy LaChance, Deirdre Morris (2/3 Teaching Team), Sustainability Academy

Laura Nugent, Champlain Elementary

Mary Kay O’Brien, Sustainability Academy

Wayne Pecor, Hunt Middle School

Chaska Richardson, Champlain Elementary

Bobby Riley, Integrated Arts Academy

Lillian Robinson, Integrated Arts Academy

Lynda Siegel, ELL STEP Program/Integrated Arts Academy

Judy Wolf, Edmunds Middle School

 

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Staff category:

Erica Bertucci, Paraeducator, Burlington High School

Corali Bisbee, Diversity Outreach Specialist, Edmunds Elementary School

Jeanine Bunzigiye, Bilingual/Bicultural Home-School Liaison

Linda Carroll, Hunt Middle School

Leslie Colomb, Principal, Champlain Elementary School

Ali Dieng, Diversity Outreach Specialist, Flynn Elementary School

Mary Hart, School Nurse, Hunt Middle School

Aaron Hill, Paraeducator, Burlington High School

Amanda Jones, Paraeducator, Burlington High School

Harka Khadka, Diversity Outreach Specialist, Edmunds Middle School

Debbie Krug, Burlington Kids Outreach Coordinator, Burlington Kids/AfterSchool

Mercedes Mack, Equity Education Specialist, Diversity & Equity Office

Kathy Mathis, Parent Involvement Coordinator, Integrated Arts Academy

Isha Mohamed, Diversity Outreach Specialist, Champlain Elementary and Integrated Arts Academy

Louise Mongeon, School Nurse, Integrated Arts Academy

Mohamed Muktar, Diversity Outreach Specialist, Hunt Middle School and Smith Elementary

Frank Murphy, Director, Horizons Program

Sara Martinez de Osaba, Parent Involvement Coordinator, Sustainability Academy and Edmunds Middle School

Melissa Parker, Burlington Food Service, Sustainability Academy

Angela Shea, Social Worker, Edmunds Middle School

Sandy Simonds, Guidance Counselor, Burlington Technical Center

Brian Williams, Assistant Principal, Burlington High School (nominated May 2010 - currently IAA Principal)

 

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Parent or family member category:

Susan Comerford

Kim-Anh Dinh

Siobhan Donegan

Jill Evans

Huong Nguyen

Stephanie Seguino

 

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Community member or agency category:

Corporal Jamie Chase, Burlington Police Department

Linda Hamlin, Sara Holbrook Community Center

Wanda Hines, Social Equity Investment Project, City of Burlington

Corporal Jason Lawson, Burlington Police Department

Kim Mihan, community volunteer

Curtiss Reed, Vermont Partnership for Fairness and Diversity

Mark Sustic, Bosnian Lilies

Very Merry Theatre (Don Wright, Roz Saunders, Bill Harvey, Mark Evans, Mary Moynihan, Karen Downey)

 

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Bosnian Lilies perform at the 2009 CDE Awards Ceremony at City Hall.

 

See you on November 17th!

CDE Award nominees, recipients and their families will be recognized in a public ceremony on Wednesday, November 17, 2010, 3:30-4:30 pm at Burlington City Hall. The 2nd annual Community Diversity Dinner will follow immediately at 5:00 pm. Media personnel should contact Sunshine at sunshine@bsdvt.org.

The CDE Awards are sponsored by the Diversity & Equity Office of the Burlington School District, in partnership with the Social Equity Investment Project and the City of Burlington. Partnering organizations include: Fletcher Free Library and We All Belong, among others. If your organization is interested in supporting this program and event, please contact Dr. Dan Balón to register your agency!

Questions and comments may be directed to: Dr. Dan Balón, Director of Diversity & Equity / 802-864-8494 / dbalon@bsdvt.org /.

 

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Linda Walsleben presents Nimo Girreh as a Champion of Diversity &
Equity award winner in the STAFF category.

 

Inaugural Champions Event a Huge Success!

The Burlington School District, in partnership with the Social Equity Investment Project and the City of Burlington, honored the 2009 Champions of Diversity & Equity in a ceremony at City Hall on Wednesday, June 3, 2009. A standing room crowd of over 200 parents, students, community members attended the event.

 

2009 Champions of Diversity & Equity:

Student:
Nicole (Knikki) Murphy, Burlington High School

Teacher:
Joy Kipp, Hunt Middle School

Staff:
Nimo Girreh, Bilingual/Bicultural Home School Liaison

Parent or family member:
Michael Wood-Lewis, Champlain Elementary School parent

Community member or agency:
Denise Dunbar, Reading to End Racism of Chittenden County Coordinator

Lifetime Achievement - community:
Patrick Brown, Greater Burlington Multicultural Resource Center Executive Director

Lifetime Achievement - staff:
Nancy Zahniser, former Champlain and Barnes principal

 

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