PRESTIGIOUS AWARD WINNER — From left are Dr. Tom Edington, Wawasee Community School Corp. superintendent, Pam Schumm, Wawasee High School teacher and Kristi Harris, WHS teacher. Schumm is holding the plaque she was presented Friday at Indiana University for being named an Armstrong Teacher Educator Award recipient. The three attended the ceremony at IU and Harris was presented the same award in 2001. (Photo by Tim Ashley)

The only northern Indiana teacher to receive the award this year, Pam Schumm was humbled and honored to be named one of seven recipients in the state of the Martha Lea and Bill Armstrong Teacher Educator Award through Indiana University. Schumm is a longtime biology and genetics teacher at Wawasee High School.

Award recipients were announced in February and the plaques were officially presented April 20 during an orientation program and awards ceremony at the School of Education Auditorium on the IU campus in Bloomington.

Armstrong Teacher Educator Award is given to a select group of K-12 teachers in Indiana. It is a professional development opportunity allowing the teachers to work with the faculty and undergraduates in the School of Education at IU-Bloomington in a variety of capacities including teaching, research and special projects and events.

Accompanying Schumm at IU were Dr. Tom Edington, superintendent of the Wawasee Community School Corp., and Kristi Harris, math teacher at WHS and the school corporation’s only other teacher to ever receive the Armstrong Award. She was presented the award in 2001.

The Armstrong program pays for substitute teachers for any days teachers miss school and also covers all expenses related to participating in the program. When the program is finished, participants are required to complete a brief final report but once that is completed, they receive a $1,000 honorarium. The program also covers tuition for six credits of IU graduate course work and provides funding for professional development.

It began in 1997 and was made possible by a private gift from the Cook Group Companies in honor of Bill and Martha Lea Armstrong.

Other award recipients this year are Laurie Bandos, Pine Tree Elementary, Avon; Jill Glover, Columbus Signature Academy, Lincoln Campus; Lisa Jaynes, Stephen Decatur Elementary, Indianapolis; James Pearce, Noblesville High School Freshman Campus; Cynthia Schuler, New Britton Elementary, Fishers; and Ann Smith, Martinsville West Middle School.