Table Of Content

University of North Carolina Wilmington ^un^ £006* r Donald R. Watson School of Education ecw?/ | A year of exciting change and growth f± * This has been afantastic yearforthe Watson School ofEducation. Many 1^ excitingthingshavehappenedinsidethewallsofourbeautifulbuildingand outside inthe region we serve. OurfirstLeadershipAcademywas formedandcompletedtosupportWatson Schoolfacultyandstaffdevelopment. Inthecharterclass,eightmemberslearned A aboutthe needsofthecampus andregion and several aremovingtoafirstor moreintensiveleadershiprole.ThegroupincludedEdnaCollins,Jeremy Dickerson,JoeFeinberg,DeronFort,TracyHargrove,DennisKubasko,Arnold Murdockand Kathy Roney. Billy King, director of external affairs for BellSouth's Wilmington region, presents a check to Dean Cathy Barlow for sponsorship of the 2006 Razor WalkerAwards. Due tothe growthoftheWatson School, which isnow servingmorethan BellSouth has sponsored the ceremony forseveralyears. 1,600studentseachacademicyear,itwasimperativetoreorganizeourdepart- See relatedarticle, page 10. i ments tobetterserveourstudents, faculty andregional school partners. Several reorganizationproposalswere submitted, discussedandvotedonby faculty andstaff. Thefournewdepartments,effectiveinthefallof 2006,areEarlyChildhoodandSpecialEducation;Elementary,MiddleLevelandLiteracyEducation;InstructionalTechnology,Foundations andSecondaryEducation; andEducational Leadership. a TheWatsonSchoolcontinuestoplace studentsearlierintheirprogramsforhands-on,realworldpublic schoolexperience.This year, we placed3,041 studentsforobservations aspartof 115 methodscourses, andweplaced383 interns forsemester-longstudentteaching experiences inourregional schools.WealsocontinuetoeducatealargepercentageofUNCW'smaster'slevelstudents.Morethan28 percentofthe university's graduate population are students in theWatson School. Wehadseveralhighlyqualifiednewfacultyjoinusthisyear.Theirpicturesandbiographiesappearlaterinthismagazine.Weadvertised 13 facultypositionsthisyear, andwearestillintheprocessofhiringfacultyandstaffforthecomingacademicyear.Whilesomeofthese positionsweretofillvacanciesleftbymovesorretirements, severalwerenewpositionscreatedduetotheincrediblegrowthofourstudent population andprograms. Thisyearwehadtheopportunityto"tellourstory"throughtheaccreditationprocess,bothnational (NationalCouncil forAccreditationof TeacherEducationorNCATE)andstate(NorthCarolinaDepartmentofPublicInstruction). BothaccreditationbodiesgavetheWatson Schooloutstandingexitresults.Wewillreportspecificswhentheresultsareofficial.OurNorthCarolinaTeachingFellowsprogramalso receivedanexcellentreviewthisyear. Oneoftheyear'smostexcitingdevelopmentswasthattheWatsonSchoolreceivedapprovalfromthestatetoplanourfirstdoctoralprogram ineducationalleadership.Theprogramwasproposedinresponsetoagreatneedinourareaforpublic schooladministrators.Wearealso developingAIG(Academically&IntellectuallyGifted)andESL/ELL(EnglishasaSecondLanguage/EnglishLanguageLearner)programsto broadentheservicesweoffertoourchangingregion. OurinternationalprogramscontinuetoflourishwithformalpartnershipsinLondon,England;Osaka,Japan;andPortElizabeth,SouthAfrica. WehaveestablishedaninternationalcommitteethatisintheprocessofselectingonemorepartnershipsiteinSouthorLatinAmerica. Therearemanymoreinitiatives,programsandfacultywecouldhighlight. Ihopewehavegivenyoua"taste"ofalltheexcellentthings goingon withinandwithoutourwalls. IinviteyoutobecomeinvolvedwiththeWatsonSchoolasadonororvolunteertolearnmoreand becomeapartofourdynamicschool. CathyL.Barlow Dean On the Cover Associate professor Robert Smith discusses an interdisciplinaryproject with students during a class held aboard the U.S.S. North Carolina. This issue focuses on the exceptional research, innovative teaching and meaningful service activities taking place every day that involve Watson School students, faculty, staffand alumni. The interdisciplinary class on the battleship, story on page 6, isjust one example. (UNCW/Jamie Moncrief) *R;*£ Watson School ofEducation Points ofPride ^ydt TheWatson School's granteffortsfocus onobtainingfundingfor collaborativeinitiativesthataddress P-16needs ofschoolsinthe southeasternregionofNorthCarolina. Currentlyfundedgrants total MessagefromtheDean morethan$4million. Features TheWatsonSchoolwasrated"exemplary"bytheStateBoardof Educationin2002.Onlysevenoutof47NorthCarolinateacher WatsonSchoolFacultyLeading ChangeThroughResearch educationprogramsreceivedthishonor. TheWatsonSchoolisthethirdlargestproduceroftraditionallyprepared BattleshipExperienceSpurs teachersoutof47highereducationinstitutionsinNorthCarolina. ThinkingAcrosstheDisciplines TheWatsonSchoolmovedintothenewEducationBuildinginSeptember TeachingFellowsServeasRoleModels 2004.The80,500-square-footfacilityisdesignedtoprovidethehighest- qualityinstructionfor educationprofessionals. 2005&2006RazorWalkerAwards ThepassingrateforWatson School graduateson thePraxisII Specialty WatsonDigest 11 AreaTestsrequiredforlicensureis98percent. InMemoriam:Dr.GraceBurton Inthefallof2005,28percent(303)ofallUNCWgraduatestudentswere Grantsfrom PiedmontGasSupportWSEProjects enrolledintheWatson SchoolofEducation. WatsonSchool PlansDoctoralDegree PDSPartnershipsRenewed Duringthepast 10years,undergraduateenrollmentintheWatsonSchool CarolinaPianoTrioPresentsMusicWorkshop hasincreased69percent,graduateenrollment73percent andthenumber oflicensure-only students has increased678 percent. Duringthepast5 FacultyNews 14 years, undergraduate enrollmenthasgrown 26percent andgraduate enrollment42percent.* FacultyRecognizedforDedicationtoAdvising NewFaculty Duringthe2004-2005academicyear,WatsonSchoolfacultypublished 28articlesorbookchapters, 1 bookand 1 documentaryfilmandmade StudentNews 16 95presentationsatinternational,national,regionalandstateconferences. AdaFullwoodNamedTeacherAssistantoftheYear EricPfirmanReceivesGraduateTeachingAward *Totalsincludeextensionprograms.DatafromSpring2005semester. GeochronHelpsStudentsUnderstandSeasons AlumniNews UNCWiscommittedtoequaleducationalandemploymentopportunitiesandisanaffirmative actionemployer.5,500copiesofthispublicdocumentwereprintedatacostof$7,495.44,or AlumniShineasBrunswickCountyTeachers $1.36percopy(G.S. 143-170.1). DistinguishedAlumnus:JasonBaldwin TracyWilsonThomasReceivesMathHonor ANotefromtheAlumniPresident AlumWinsCaribbeanTripforMilitarySpouses SharonByrdsongNamedPrincipaloftheYear AlumniNotes 2005DonorReport 22 C@[iWOT]®Kg TheMagazineoftheWatsonSchoolofEducation Published annually by theWatson School ofEducation at UNCW. We invite yourcommentsandsuggestions. Sendcorrespondence to: Watson Schoolof Education, Dean'sOffice, 326EducationBuilding, UNCW. 601 South CollegeRoad,Wilmington,NC 28403-5991,ortoDeanCathyBarlowat [email protected]. CathyL. Barlow Dana Fischetti Deem, Watson School ofEducation Editor and Writer JanisC.Norris '81M Krysti Wetherill President, Alumni Chapter Graphic Design diversityofNorth Carolina Wilmington Spring 2006 3 al: z* Robert Smith will have a new bookpublished this year on high school reform. Robert Smith up to 100studentsaday,whichprecludes meaningfulteacher-studentrelationships.In TVackinghighschoolreform addition,teachersoftenhavefewopportuni- tiesforprofessionaldevelopment. RobertSmith,associateprofessorofspecialty studies, hasfocusedhisresearchonwhole- "Highschool isonlyaseffectiveforstudents schoolmodelsforhighschoolreform, asitisforteachers,"Smithsaid."Ifteachers studying numerous case studies ofschool areconstantlyprofessionallycompromised, improvementeffortsacrossthenation.Smith then students' educationisalsogoingtobe willpublishanewbookinthesummerentitled compromised.Workingconditions,salary, 'TimeforChange:NewVisionsforHigh expectations andprofessionaldevelopment School"basedonhisresearch. forteachersarefundamentalissues." "Highschoolreformismuchmorethanthe currentpressuretoimprovestudentperfor- manceonendofcoursetests,"Smithsaid. Watson School Faculty 'Tome,realreformisrethinkinghighschools andthewayhighschoolenvironmentsare structured.Therearemanyexamplesofhow Leading Change Throug] reformistakingplaceandvariousmodelsfor howitcanbedone." Smithsaidtheimpetusforhisbookcamefrom In addition to teaching and service, one ofthe primary responsi- agrowingawarenessacrossAmericathathigh schoolsarenotworkingwellforalarge bilities ofuniversity faculty members is to conductmeaningful percentageofstudents. Recenteffortsto and relevant research. For Watson School of Education faculty, addressthatissue includefederal school this means research related to the effective preparation ofteachers improvementgrantsforlowperforming schools,recommendationsina2004reportby and administrators, successful schools and school improvement, theNationalAssociationofSecondarySchool teaching methods and student learning styles and the effects of Principals(NASSP)andnumerousbooks documentingreformefforts. social issues on education. The following arejust a few examples ofthe many research efforts currently being conducted to in- "Inoticedtherewasnooneresourcethat crease the knowledge base about the education profession. pulledtogetherthemanyideasaboutreform withinabroaderperspective,"Smithsaid. "Casestudiesdescribethechangeswithina particularhighschoolbutweneedtoview One ofthe keys to successful middle thesecasestudieswithinthecontextofwhat Kathleen Roney schools, Roney said, is leadershipfrom wemeanbyreform,whyweneedreform,why theprincipal.In2003,theNationalMiddle these schools were successful and whether Definingmiddleschoolleadership SchoolsAssociation (NMSA) published a these successescanbereplicatedinother position statement that articulated the schools." Kathleen Roney, assistant professor of need for "courageous, collaborative curricularstudies, wantstoknowwhat leadership" as acharacteristic ofa Smith'sbookaddressessomeofthemost makes schools successful for students in developmentallyresponsivemiddle pressing questions related to high school the middle grades, whetherthey attend school. Working with otherresearchers reformsuchasmakingschoolrelevantto schools that include grades 6 through 8, 7 across the nation, Roney is helping to students, developingan interdisciplinary through 9 orKthrough 8. providemiddleschooladministratorswith curriculumandcreatingamorepersonalized solid research and suggestions about environmentforstudents.Thebookalso "We're always goingtohavethe middle howtoeffectively leadinamiddle school looksathowtoaddressteacherretentionand grades no matter how schools are environment. turnover. structured," she said. "Those grades have particularchallenges. Schools need "There wasn't an educational leadership Smithsaidsuccessfulreformeffortsmust to have programs and practices that are model that specifically addressedthe improvetheenvironmentinwhichteachers responsive to the human development of middleschoolprincipal,"Roneysaid. work. Inmanyhighschools,educatorsteach young adolescents." "Through ourresearch, we want to better 4 Watson School ofEducation understand the kind ofculture that needs Inaddition, Roneyrecently returnedfrom and hangs out and gets in-state tuition," tobe created in amiddle school in order the annual conference oftheAmerican he said. to enhance student achievement. Then we Educational ResearchAssociation can define the rolethatthe principal (AERA)where sheandcolleaguesfrom Martinez,aNewOrleans-bornpoet, needs to play in creating and nurturing the University ofNotre Dame presented a musicianandfdmmakerwhoseacademic that culture." paperentitled, "OrientingtotheCommon focusismulticultural education, also Good: DevelopingaMoralSelfinthe produced and directed an award-winning Roney and hercolleagues have devel- MiddleGrades." documentary called The BlackIndians of opedaself-reporting instrumentfor New Orleans. Most recently, he directed assessment that middle school principals "We presented the students with moral The Quorum, whichdocumentedsocial complete to evaluatetheirown leadership dilemmas and asked probing questions change and racial integrationinaNew and that teachers complete with regard to about how they would solve them," Orleanscoffeehouse duringthe 1960s. theirperceptionsofthe principal. Using Roneyexplained. Roneyandhercol- this data, principals can develop a plan leagues collected data in schools that The undocumented students Martinez fortheirowndevelopmental growth and they work with to study the development profilesinhislatestfilmarechildrenof forschool-widecultural change. Roney's ofthemoral selfduringthemiddle school poorfarmworkers,manyofwhommigrate teamwillpublish abookaboutthe years. withthe crops. Theyhave all workedin instrument and its uses this summer, the fields fromanearly age andunder- entitled"TheDevelopmentallyRespon- Maurice Martinez stand the value ofan education. La Vida siveMiddleLevelPrincipal:ALeadership No Es Facil asks why society would Model and Measurement Instrument." Advocatingforundocumented choose to deny these eager students immigrants access to an education. Research While many educationfacultydocument "These kids have assimilated and their scholarship through books, papers acculturatedtoAmericannorms," and conference presentations, Maurice Martinezsaid. "TheyaremoreAmerican, Martinez, professor ofspecialty studies, onemightsay,thanMexican. Hopefully communicates his findings through thepublic will getaclearerunderstanding documentaryfilm. ofthese children, who should not be punished forthe impoverishedhuman His latestproject, La VidaNoEsFacil condition oftheirparents. (LifeisNotEasy), examinestheineligibil- ityofundocumentedimmigrantsforin- "America's mostneglectedresource is statetuition atNorth Carolina'spublic low-income students in highereduca- universities and how this situation affects tion." the lives ofcollege-aged Latino students. Martinezexploresthiscontroversialtopic Catherine Nesbit through the stories ofthree young adults who wereborn in Mexicobuthave spent Success with science notebooks muchoftheirlivesintheU.S. As U.S. educationprofessionals workto In the documentary, Martinez argues that improvescienceliteracy,manyschool childrenofundocumentedimmigrants districts are adding inquiry-based science should not have to pay out-of-state to the curriculum, involving students in tuitionbecause aneducationwill give teacherguided exploration using hands- themthe ability to contribute tothe on activities. Students document their economy. findings in science notebooks and use writingtoreflectontheirlearning. Opponents argue that giving undocumented residents in-state opportunities "Science—notebooking is very student wouldattractmoreillegalimmigrantsto centered the students get to own what the state andprevent U.S. citizensfrom they're investigating," saidCatherine attendingNorthCarolinauniversities. Nesbit, associate professor of specialty Martinez disagrees, citing theease with studies. "Research has shown that using which many students from other states an inquiry-oriented approach that obtain in-statetuition simply by living in includes science notebooks improves (Top) Maurice Martinez chronicled the plight NorthCarolinaforoneyear. achievementscoresinreading, writing, ofcollege-age children of undocumented immigrants in a new documentary film. math and science." (Photo courtesy of the Star-Newsj "Students who have lived here formost oftheirlivesaremoreNorthCarolinians Continuedonpage9 (eBdoutctaotmi)onKalatlhelaedeenrsRhoinpemyoidsedlevfoerlompiidndglean than somebody who comes here forayear school principals. UniversityofNorth Carolina Wilmington Spring 2006 5 Battleship Experience / / / A--/ Spurs Thinking Across the It's achilly fallevening aboardthe U.S.S. North Carolina, where more valuable and relevant to students. Kubasko and his UNCW a large group of teacher education students is huddled in colleagues want to expose students to interdisciplinary methods the mess hall awaiting theirinstructions. They have been given a so they will be prepared to incorporate these approaches into challengethatformanyofthemwillmeanthinkingabout theirteaching. — — teaching andlearning inadifferentway. Forthebattleshipproject, the methods classes broke up into small Theyare all students workingtowardlicensure inmath, science teamsthatincludedstudentsfromallthreedisciplines.Each orsocial studies atthe middle orhigh school level and whose team's task was toplan afield triplesson forhigh school students undergraduate degrees are in one ofthose subject areas. thatincorporated math, science and social studies learning about Tonight, faculty membersDennisKubaskoandRobertSmithin aparticulardepartmentoftheship. Forexample,oneteamfocused the Watson School ofEducation and DeniseTerry in the on navigation anddeterminedhow sailors plotted theirlocation DepartmentofMathematics areasking themtothinkoutside and navigated the battleship during WorldWarII. theircontentareas andworkwithpeers fromotherdisciplines. Tours, guidance andoriginal shipartifacts andmaterials were "This experience is designedto meetacoupleofobjectives," provided to the teams by battleship curatorMary Ames Sheret said assistant professor Dennis Kubasko, who teaches second- andmuseumservicesdirectorKimSincox. ary science methods. "We want our teacher education students toexperienceandpracticemultidisciplinaryplanningand Assistant professor Denise Terry, who teaches math methods, teaching. We also want them to think about how they can saidinterdisciplinary teachingcan be achallenge formath incorporateinformal learning settings,likethebattleship, into teachers and she sees the project as a way forthem to explore theirlessonswhilestillmeetingstatecurriculumrequirements." the possibilities. Encouraginginterdisciplinarythinking "Math teachers have a tendency to teach in an isolated way," saidTerry. "Buttheirstudents don't live in amath world. They Many schools are moving toward interdisciplinary education or liveinanaturalworld,amultidisciplinaryworld.Thisisawayto thematically based lessons in the curriculum, Kubasko said, as encourage math education students to think differently and look partofschool improvementefforts and the need to make lessons at how math concepts can be applied in new ways." Watson School ofEducation Teacher education students in science, math and socialstudies tourthe U.S.S. North Carolina togather information for their interdisciplinary lesson planning. (Far Left) Students learn about the ship's navigation systems. (Below) Faculty members Denise Terry, left, and Dennis Kubasko answer student questions about the interdisciplinary project. Disciplines Teachercollaborationandsupport BrookeHazelwood, whowillgraduatefromtheMasterofArtsin disciplines. It's away forteachers to keeptheirlessons fresher TeachingprograminDec. 2006,saidshebelievesinterdiscipli- and more interesting and also offer each other support." naryeducation willbecomeevenmore widelyusedandit's important for students to understand how to use it effectively. She added that interdisciplinary teaching also keeps students motivated because it fosters hands-on participation and gets "One ofthe reasons teachers leave the profession is that they students involved in their own learning. complainofisolation,"Hazelwoodsaid. "Thisexperiencewas very collaborative between the students from the different "Too many students are used to being talked at rather than actuallyengagedinanactivity," sheexplained. "With interdisciplinary approaches, you can see the light bulbs going offin their heads because they're experiencing the learning firsthand." Fosteringresearch This is the fourth yearthat Kubasko has taken his science methods classes to the battleship. Last year, both science and social studies classes were involved, and math methods students were added this year. Kubasko, Terry and Smith plan to continue the collaboration and to begin a research project to study the impact this experience is having on teachereducation students. "There's notalotofresearch available about interdisciplinary education," said Smith. "We're going to survey and interview the students to see what they thought ofthis experience and Student team members take notes during the tourofthe ship. how they plan to use what they've learned in theirteaching." UniversityofNorth Carolina Wilmington Spring 2006 7 Freshman Teaching Fellows Serve as Role Models for Seventh Graders On many days, ifyouwalkintoTiffany "Forour freshmen, it's achance Tobe's seventh grade class at Myrtle to spend time in a classroom in a Grove Middle School andtake alook unique way." around the room, you'll see some students whose bodies no longer quite During the fall semester, the fit the middle-school size desks and Teaching Fellows wrote several chairs, and whose faces reflect a maturity letters to their middle school pen that their peers have not yet reached. pals, getting to know them and learning their interests. In While atfirstglanceitmay seem that December, the fellows wentto these "students" don't belong, they have Myrtle Grove tomeettheirpen become an integral partofthe life ofthis pals in person at a class pizza party everyone is showing growth," said class.As freshman UNCWTeaching Tobe, a 2003 graduate ofthe Watson Fellows, they have become the pen pals This spring, the fellows were in the School in middle grades education, a and tutors ofthe seventh graders, helping classroom, working with the students Teaching Fellows alumna and acurrent them with their studies and encouraging one-on-one and in small groups and graduate student. "The fellows provide them to plan to attend college. teaching lessons to the entire class anotherrole model in the classroom to under Tobe's supervision. show my students they can go to According to Kathleen Benzaquin, college and be successful." UNCW Teaching Fellows director, it's a In addition to assisting the students, natural fit, providing support and the fellows observe the entire classroom UNCWhad45 freshmanfellowsduring motivation to the middle school stu- process and learn about issues such as the 2005-06 school year, whichwas alot dents and classroom experience to the classroom management and the many of students forTobe to accommodate but prospective teachers. other responsibilities teachers have she did it with planning and an organized beyond delivering instruction. schedule. Each fellow spends at least "We're targeting the middle grades and one houraweek in herclassroom. working with that age group to help "We strike a balance between giving the them believe in themselves and set Teaching Fellows what they need and "We're very fortunate to have a teacher goals to go to college," said Benzaquin. giving my students what they need, and who is willing to let us be a part ofher yff{r/e??/£ ye4^^eoM>'?;e& , "Being in a seventh grade class- "Beingpartofthepenpalproject "Middle school teachers have to roomhashelpedmereaffirm hasprovidedmewithhands-on havealotofdisciplineandmoti- — beliefsIhadaboutteachingat experienceandwiththeopportu- vate the students they have to thislevel.Ihavealwaysthought nitytoimmersemyselfinthe keeppushingthemallthetime. middleschoolteachersshouldbe classroom.It'sreinforcedmy Myteachingwilldefinitelybenefit toughbutstilllettheirstudents originaldesiretobecomea fromthisexperience." knowtheyarethereforthem." teacner. JenniferMorris GrahamElmore AdnenneCannady Elementaryeducation Middleschoolmathandscience Highschoolspecialeducation Watson School ofEducation Research,continuedfrompage5 Thatinterdisciplinaryemphasiswillbecritical, Nesbitsaid, as NorthCarolinabeginstesting scienceknowledgeduringthe2007-08school year. Because teachers have feltpressure to (Left) Adrienne Cannady works on a project with focusonreading, writingandmath, sciencehas herseventh grade group. often been neglected. Nesbit sees science (Below) Graham Elmore works with seventh grade notebooks as a tool teachers can use to add students as teacher Tiffany Tobe '03 looks on. morescienceintothecurriculum. "The strength ofelementary teachers tends to beintheareaofliteracy,"Nesbitexplained,"so we showthemhowtheycanusewritingtoteach science. Notebookshavebeenusedby DaVinci, Darwin andeveryday scientists to document andreflectupontheirfindings. It's an authentic scientificmethod." Science notebooks are used across North CarolinaundertheauspicesoftheN.C.Infra- structureforScienceEducation(NC-ISE),with threeregional centers thatprovide teacher education and support. The eastern regional centerishousedatUNCW.Throughthe center, Nesbitandhercolleagues areconducting class in this way," said Benzaquin. "The NorthCarolinaTeaching Fellows is a researchtodetermine how science notebooks ongoing pen pal relationship is the real statewide program that provides a four- canbeusedmosteffectively.Theyalsooffer hook for the Teaching Fellows. It gets year scholarship each yearto 500 workshops forteachers. them excited about going to the school outstanding high school seniors. The and about teaching because they are students receive specialized instruction Nesbitisinvolvedinexaminingcase studies makingmeaningfulcontactwith kids." to become teachers in exchange for their with colleagues at Stanford and Washington agreement to teach for four years after State. Facultyaredocumentingtheuseof InApril, Tobe's class visited the UNCW graduation in aNorth Carolinapublic science notebooks and the results that are being campus as guests oftheir pen pals. school. achieved.NesbitisworkingwithJordanBradyat They had lunch with the Teaching BlairElementarySchoolinWilmington,observ- Fellows, toured the campus and learned ingherteachingandreviewingthenotebooksof aboutcollege life. her students. "We'relookingatbestpracticesintheuseof science notebooks," Nesbit said. "Many teachers aredoingwellwithstructuredscience — notebooking telling students whatto do ateach stepoftheinvestigation.Wewantthemtotake it astepfurtherandletthe students asktheirown questions andinitiatetheirowninvestigations. Thatisverypossibleevenwithyoungchildren." Catherine Nesbit, center, works with part-time faculty member Cynthia Rogers and elementary Teaching Fellow Jennifer Morris hands out worksheets as Adrienne Cannady teacherandgraduatestudentJordan Bradyona answers a student's question in the background. science notebook lesson involving tops. UniversityofNorth Carolina Wilmington Spring 2006 9 " " Razor Walker Awards NC Leaders Making a Difference in the Lives ofChildren 2005 RazorWalkerHonorees Since 1993, the Watson School of Education has honoredindividuals whose vision, tenacity, courage and Michael C.Blackwell sacrifice have made a difference in the lives ofyoung "Michael Blackwell waspreparedforan people in North Carolina. Many of these individuals outstanding career injournalism... he considers itmore of have overcome great obstacles and taken significant a specialprivilege to professional risk, walking the "razor's edge" to workfor children support the education and health ofchildren andyouth. especially those that are abused and neglected. The honorees for 2005 and 2006 are listed below, with Blackwellisknown throughout N.C. as a comments from their nominators quoted. The Razor tireless advocate for WalkerAwards celebrate the efforts, achievements and children and youth. As president of contributions of these special people, who believe so BaptistChildren'sHomesofNorth stronglythatourchildren areourmostpreciousresource. Carolina, he leads an organization that has served thousands of neglected, orphaned and abused children ofall races, faiths and backgrounds. James F. Causby ElizabethHillFrasier JamesE.HolshouserJr. "Dr. Causby is one ofthosepeople who "Hilly, as she is known by those who love "Asgovernorofourgreatstatefrom has made a realdifference in the quality her, has made the education ofchildren 1973 to 1977, Jim Holshouserpresided ofALL public herlife. Herkeen over the consolidation ofall the state's schools, while desireforchildren to senior colleges and universities into the leading his own feelpositive about University ofNorth schoolsystem with themselves and their Carolina system. vision, tenacity and world has been a Higher education courage. " Highly drivingforce has long been one of regardednationally throughout her Gov. Holshouser's for his success in professional career. passions. " Secure in leading school An advocate ofnon- his place in the systems and their violentdisciplineas state'spolitical communitiesthrough both a teacher and history, Holshouser change, Causby's efforts as superinten- principal,Frasierrefusedtoallowcorporal isequallyrecogniz- dent ofthe Johnston County Schools punishment in herclassroomand her able as a stalwart resulted in improved student achievement schoolwhenitwasstilllegallyallowed. leaderin highereducation. He was a andcommunity pride. Throughhis Hercommitmentandpatiencehelped resolute memberofthe leadershipteam leadership, Johnston County became a guide numerous teachers tofind more thatjoinedforces with NorthCarolinians national leaderinthecommunityinvolve- creative, humane andeffective waysto forEducational Opportunity to seek voter ment process for school restructuring. deal withclassroomdisruptions. approvalofthe2000HigherEducation Improvement Bonds, securing the support ofall 100counties in the state. 10 Watson School ofEducation