CRLS Faculty Honored with Distinction Awards

CRLS Faculty Honored with Distinction Awards
Posted on 08/14/2017

Faculty Honored with Distinction AwardsGraduates applauded thunderously and cheered boomingly for three teachers and a guidance counselor at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) commencement on June 8 when the four honorees received Faculty Distinction Awards. Friends of CRLS (FOCRLS), a nonprofit association supporting opportunities at the high school, has sponsored the awards since 2007 for a total of 44 honorees. Each year, seniors nominate the CRLS staff members who had the most influence on their learning and personal growth and are not told of the final selections until graduation, when the names are announced and the honorees are presented with framed certificates and letters of appreciation. CRLS Vice Principal Bobby Tynes and Dean of Curriculum (Learning Community L) Allan Gehant coordinated the nominations and selections.

Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Salim urged graduates to pursue teaching credentials. Said FOCRLS Board President Jamie Sabino, who represented the association at the ceremony, “Seeing the students’ genuine and enthusiastic ovation for the Faulty Distinction Awardees emphasized Superintendent Salim's request to the graduating class that they consider becoming educators so that they might bring to future generations the gifts they received from the CRLS faculty and staff.”

The 2017 Faculty Distinction Awardees

  • Tanya Augustine, Science Teacher, spent over a decade in scientific research, working in laboratories and in the field with the U.S. Army, before becoming a teacher. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Colorado College and a master’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of Denver. At CRLS, she teaches biology, anatomy & physiology, and exercise physiology. She is known for her commitment to preparing students for real world situations.

  • Casey Leonard, Math Teacher, earned a degree in industrial engineering from Lehigh University and worked for a large consulting firm for four years before becoming a math teacher thirteen years ago in San Francisco. She taught in Boston and then joined the CRLS faculty three years ago. As a teacher of calculus and geometry, she makes a point of getting to know her students as individuals, fostering their self-confidence, and encouraging them to solve problems beyond their own expectations.

  • Janani Nathan, Guidance Counselor (Learning Community L), has been an educator for 20 years and at CRLS since 2001. With degrees in biology from Lafayette College and behavioral studies from Columbia University, she taught special education in NYC public schools. While teaching physics and biology at CRLS, she completed a second master’s degree at Cambridge College and became a guidance counselor who builds strong connections with students and their families. Born in Sri Lanka, she has expertise in helping first generation students navigate the educational system.

  • Cecilia Hylton, History Teacher, became a teacher because of her interests in history, politics and encouraging young people to express themselves in discussions. She was a student teacher at CRLS in 2012, during which time she learned to think of teaching as a career with deep social, personal, and academic potential. She taught U.S. history for one year at a nearby suburban high school and, in 2014, returned to CRLS, where she currently teaches comparative government and world history.

In addition to Faculty Distinction Awards, Friends of CRLS presents scholarships, Student Travel Fellowships, Faculty Innovation Grants, and Unsung Heroes Awards, all funded with donations and fundraising made possible by volunteers. Please email [email protected] or call 857-235-9290 to donate, volunteer, or find out about their school year kick-off meetings in September.

Photo (L to R): Tanya Augustine, Casey Leonard, Janani Nathan, and Cecilia Hylton at CRLS the graduation ceremony on June 8, 2017; photo by Larry Aaronson.

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