Tuesday, Jul 2, 2013
Two Rider graduates were named New Jersey Distinguished Student Teachers by the Department of Education, an honor recognizing the 15 most outstanding prospective teachers in the state.
by Sean Ramsden
In a year when Rider鈥檚 School of Education celebrated its 100th anniversary, the term鈥檚 final landmark moment revealed itself at the very end.
Two 小优视频 graduates were named New Jersey Distinguished Student Teachers by the Department of Education, an honor recognizing the 15 most outstanding prospective teachers in the state. Jami Centrella 鈥13 of Mullica Hill, N.J., and Amanda Schott 鈥13 of Pennsauken, N.J., earned the prestigious nod after excelling in classrooms this past year. Rider was one of just three institutions in the Garden State with multiple honorees.
Centrella, who graduated summa cum laude from Rider in May with dual bachelor鈥檚 degrees in Elementary Education and Psychology, was recognized for her outstanding student-teaching at Maurice Hawk Elementary School in West Windsor, where she worked with a third-grade class.
Understandably, Centrella was excited to be named a Distinguished Student Teacher, but humbly shared the honor with her students.
鈥淚 cried, actually!鈥 said Centrella, who will teach this fall at Caroline Reutter Intermediate School in Franklinville, Gloucester County. 鈥淩eally, I was very grateful, but my thoughts turned to my third-graders 鈥 I give all the credit to them.鈥
However, adjunct professor Kristine Luberto said Centrella represents the very essence of the honor.
鈥淛ami is one of the most talented teachers I鈥檝e ever worked with,鈥 said Luberto, who served as Centrella鈥檚 teaching supervisor. 鈥淚 noticed early on that she really stood out, and I knew that I wanted her as a student teacher.鈥
Schott鈥檚 route to the Distinguished Student Teacher award took her through Rider鈥檚 Graduate Level Teacher Certification Program, which is designed for career-changers interested in becoming teachers. Schott, who earned dual bachelor鈥檚 degrees in English and Theater from Montclair State University in 2011, performed her student teaching at John A. Carusi Middle School in Cherry Hill. Like Centrella, she was surprised, albeit pleasantly, to learn she had been selected.
鈥淓ven as an English major, full of all the beautiful words in the language, I knew of none that could express what I felt,鈥 Schott said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so honored to represent Rider in such a way.鈥
Since 1985, the presidents of New Jersey鈥檚 teacher training institutions have been invited to submit the dossiers of their five most outstanding prospective teachers into competition for this award. An independent panel of esteemed New Jersey educators evaluates these dossiers to select the award recipients.
This marks the fourth consecutive year that at least one Rider graduate has been recognized as a New Jersey Distinguished Student Teacher. ToniAnne Mizzi 鈥12 of Colts Neck was recognized as a 2012 recipient, while Angela DiFranco 鈥11 of Bordentown Township was honored in 2011, following 2010 honoree Emily DiPaolo 鈥10 of Newton.