Billerica teachers honored for 'immense' impact on
students
By Rick Sobey, rsobey@lowellsun.com
UPDATED:
03/08/2016 07:15:30 AM EST
The Cellular
Connection Verizon stores in Burlington and Billerica helped to honor teachers
at Billerica Memorial High School on Tuesday morning. Honored teachers, from
left, standing with The Burlington TTC Verizon store manager Jeff Madigan, are
English teacher Brian Caldwell; paraprofessional Joanne Sprague; English
teacher Steve Gleason; tutor Sue Jacobs; Megan Lulsdorf accepting for math
teacher Linda McLaughlin; English teacher Stacia Bujnowski; math teacher Catie
Hurd; and Billerica TCC Verizon store manager Kenny Ogden.Seated, from left, are
math teacher Brian Carroll; English teacher Shawn Landry; business teacher John
Magliozzi; and chemistry teacher Paul Vigeant. They were presented with boxes
filled with school supplies. Watch video at lowellsun.com. SUN/JOHN LOVE
Sun staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.
Sun staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.
BILLERICA
-- Brianna Maillet was on the verge of dropping out of high school.
After
getting pregnant during her senior year at Billerica Memorial High School, she
attended night school and was forced to stay back a year. Then, following her
son's birth, Maillet was worried she would miss too much school and have to
stay back again.
But a
Billerica teacher stepped up to the plate.
English
teacher Steve Gleason offered to tutor Maillet at her house, at no extra pay,
to help her graduate. Gleason went out of his way for a student he never knew
and helped her graduate in 2010. Maillet is now completing her degree to become
a registered nurse.
The
efforts of teachers like Gleason sometimes go unrecognized, but last week,
Gleason and several other Billerica Memorial High School teachers were honored
for making a significant impact on students' lives.
The
Cellular Connection (TCC) Billerica Verizon store honored 10 teachers,
including Gleason, who were nominated by former students. The company donated
10 boxes full of school supplies to these teachers during a school assembly on
Wednesday.
In
addition, students in attendance nominated 10 other teachers who received
school supplies.
"I
feel that I'm just one of a multitude of staff here that help kids out,"
Gleason said. "We care deeply about them, and will go the distance to help
out.
"To
know another kid is moving forward is what it's all about," he added.
"It's the best part of doing this profession."
Kenny
Ogden, the Verizon store manager and Ambassador of Good for the New England
market, presented the school supplies to the teachers.
Ogden,
who graduated from Billerica Memorial High School in 2010, recently asked his
former classmates on social media, "What teacher made the biggest impact
on your life?"
The
results were overwhelming, he said.
"My
phone went off for hours on end and late into the night, but one thing was clear:
These teachers went above and beyond the title of teacher to make such an
impact in many peoples' lives," Ogden said.
The
school supplies -- index cards, colored pencils, markers, paper, glue sticks
and more -- went to the following teachers: Gleason, Paul Vigeant, Linda
McLaughlin, Stacia Bujnowski, John Magliozzi, Sue Jacobs, Shawn Landry, Joanne
Sprague, Brian Caldwell and Brian Carroll.
The
students in attendance on Wednesday also nominated these teachers: Catie Hurd,
Joel Dure, Lori Reubenstein, Amanda Hillson, Jeff Bernoth, Catie Button, Jan
Mounsey, Megan Bergeron, Jeff Gage and Pat Ammendolia.
"This
is a special occasion for Billerica Memorial High School," said Assistant
Principal Debbie Biagiotti. "Teachers' efforts go unrecognized at times, so
we're honoring teachers who have contributed immensely and made tremendous
impacts in students' lives.
"Thank
you (teachers) for everything you do on a daily basis," she added.
Follow
Rick Sobey on Twitter and Tout @rsobeyLSun.
