First WEA Award of Special Distinction given to Foundation Executive Director
By Tricia Walker
,
Watertown Education Association President
Each year, the Watertown Education Association (WEA) recognizes a person, institution, or organization for support shown to the teaching profession.
The recipient must have proven himself/herself a friend of education through actions and/or words.
Throughout the nomination process, the WEA Board was reminded of the wonderful contributions that "outsiders" make on behalf of our district.
Our Friends of Education go above and beyond their daily duties to improve our schools, and it is sometimes difficult to select a winner from the nominees. This year, a special nominee stood out from the others.
Although she is not an educator, Waneen Polly, Arrow Education Foundation Executive Director, has made significant contributions to the teaching profession.
Arguably, her work has touched more students in our district than any other, through the grants and programs made possible because of her work.
From kindergarten play kitchens, elementary author visits, middle school literature experiences, to high school GPS units, Waneen has helped
Watertown teachers to provide new and innovative experiences by assisting them with the Foundation’s grant writing process.
She is passionate about what she does, and her enthusiasm for her job is contagious.
However, because Waneen is employed by the school district she was ineligible to receive the Friend of Education Award.
The WEA Board decided to create a special award, reserved specifically for recognizing impressive accomplishments that may not fit within our traditional awards. Waneen Polly was awarded the first ever WEA Award of Special Distinction.
At the awards event, I introduced her in this way, "Waneen believes in education,
believes in our students, and believes in our teachers. She does all that she can to support learning at all levels, and works tirelessly to enhance the educational experiences of all members of our district. Her contributions are on-going and everlasting, as many of the ideas that she has inspired will continue to impact
Watertown's students for many years to come. Her passion for learning is evident and contagious, and she truly deserves to be recognized for the important role she plays in creating meaningful experiences for students."
Notably, Wanda Polly, Waneen’s mother, received the second Friends of Education Award in 1986.