Three Montgomery Blair High School teachers received a surprise visit from the National Education Association, National PTA, and Maryland Lt. Governor Aruna Miller to kick off National Teacher Appreciation Week.
Jeremy Stelzner, Maria Eugenia Tanos, and Michelle Elie were awarded a $5,000 grant to support Silver Chips, the school’s nationally recognized and award-winning student newspaper.
A group comprising NEA and PTA leaders, students, school administrators, Interim Superintendent Dr. Monique Felder, and Lt. Gov. Miller gathered in the school’s media center on Monday to deliver the surprise, complete with a giant check, balloons, and flowers.
According to MCPS, the $5,000 grant will cover membership fees, student journalism publications, equipment such as computers and cameras, and reimbursements for reviews conducted by the publication.
As part of their collaboration, the NEA and National PTA coordinated surprise visits this week to deliver essential classroom supplies to teachers in Maryland, Colorado, and Kansas as a gesture of appreciation. The group also hosted an after-school reception for all teachers and staff.
Silver Chips is the only school newspaper in the MCPS school system with a Spanish language section, La Esquina Latina.
In the journalism publications courses at Blair High School, students learn and develop school, community, state, and national news stories. They write, edit, design, advertise for sponsors and subscribers, and distribute the publications to the community and nationally.
Photos Courtesy of MCPS