Volunteerism Through Willowbrook

Willowbrooker Receives Award

Willowbrooker, Valerie Nichols, was selected as Luke Elementary School’s Teacher of the Year for 2007-2008. Altogether, ninety-four teachers from the West Valley were honored at a May breakfast sponsored by Westside Impact Excellence in Education.

Valerie has had quite a year at Luke. In November, she and her principal, Jean Meier, flew to Washington D.C. to accept a national award from the Character Education Partnership for a program Valerie began at Luke. Called “Seventh Grade Pillar Presenters,” the program involved all 7th grade students going into Kindergarten through 6th grade classrooms teaching the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship.

In March, one of Valerie’s students was one of ten 7th grade students in Maricopa County who won a trip to Boston. Sponsored by the Phoenix Suns and Southwest Airlines, the contest had students write an essay and draw a picture about freedom, historical events, or why they wanted to go to Boston. Winning entries were displayed behind the Southwest Airlines counter at Sky Harbor Airport.

Some of you know Valerie is the author of Sammy the Sparrow, which can be checked out from our own library. She also contributed to the book, Faces of Freedom, which memorializes service men and women who sacrificed their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan. Valerie wrote the Arizona and Wisconsin chapters. All proceeds of the book go to Fisher House and Wounded Warriors. Valerie will be signing these books at the American Legion’s national convention in Phoenix in late August.

Here at Willowbrook, Valerie will continue to lead the DISCIPLE II Bible Study in the fall. She encourages anyone who is interested to feel free to join the class starting in November.