Theater teacher honored for inspirational methods

By Paul Takahashi

Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011 | 2 a.m.

Liberty High School theater teacher Sharon Chadwick received $4,000 as the winner of the third annual Myra Greenspun Teacher Excellence Award.

The award honors a public school teacher who has created innovative teaching strategies that have helped raise student achievement. It is designed to stimulate sharing best practices among teachers and to encourage schools and the community to value the work of their teachers.

Chadwick was named the Nevada Thespian Theatre Teacher of the Year in 2003 and 2011, and is the Nevada Thespian Chapter director coordinating middle and high school theater events — such as benefit performances and arts camps — across the state.

Liberty Assistant Principal Kathleen Morse nominated Chadwick for promoting inclusiveness in her theatre program. Chadwick’s plays have incorporated the use of American Sign Language, and have helped teenagers reflect, understand and cope with difficult topics such as overeating, abuse, low self-esteem, teen suicide and violence.

Chadwick received $3,000 to be used for her classroom, school or professional development. She also received an honorarium of $1,000 and 500 credits to be used at the Public Education Foundation’s Teacher Exchange.

A panel of judges — selected by The Public Education Foundation — determines the award recipient each year. The Foundation is a nonprofit organization that has raised more than $75 million since 1991 to improve teaching and student performance in the Clark County School District.

Myra Greenspun — a community leader and wife of Las Vegas Sun publisher Brian Greenspun — established her namesake award in 2008 in partnership with The Public Education Foundation to recognize great public school teachers.

“We are very proud to acknowledge the work Sharon is doing at Liberty,” Myra Greenspun said in a statement. “It is my hope that this public acknowledgement of excellence in the classroom inspires more teachers to be innovative and creative with their students.”

Foundation President Judi Steele congratulated Chadwick for her accomplishments.

“By awarding Sharon this grant, we are able to express our sincere gratitude for everything she contributes to students,” Steele said in a statement. “We believe in recognizing and supporting the great teachers among us.”

Fellow teachers, administrators and community partners may submit teacher nominations. For more information or to nominate a teacher, go to www.thepef.org or call 799-1042.