Keep Forsyth County Beautiful Bestows Honors

Keep Forsyth County Beautiful hosted its banquet of recognition Tuesday night at Cumming Elementary School (CES) to “celebrate and honor [its] dedicated volunteers, partners and sponsors” said Andrew Black, Keep Forsyth County Beautiful (KFCB) Chairman of the Board of Directors. 

This year, however, a new tradition was started by having the banquet at the beginning of the school year. “We want to share the recognition throughout the year and keep the momentum going,” explained KFCB Community Outreach Coordinator Kevin Smith.

The evening was attended by county commissioners, Forsyth County officials, and representatives of local businesses and honored guests who were given tours of the school’s gardens prior to the presentations. The school’s campus was part of the “Beautification of a Campus” project of KFCB, according to Linda Garner, CES teacher, and was one of the reasons why the school and its personnel received three awards.

A bench in memory of Linda Byers was dedicated about five years ago, explained Garner and teachers were then encouraged to use gardens to teach. Soon the gardens became outdoor classrooms where teachers incorporated lessons in Math, Science, and Literature. The third garden—a sensory garden—was installed as a project of Eagle Scout Benjamin Barish in April 2011. 

CES second grader Laurel Daniel, 7, lead a tour around the grounds.  She said, “it’s furry like a dog or cat,”  after feeling the leaf of Lamb's Ear at the “Touch” segment of the garden. Daniel went on to demonstrate the wind chime in “Hearing." Members of the BeCumming Green team and CES faculty also served as guides, explaining how some gardens had themes and all were tended by parents and staff over the summer. 

The banquet began with newly installed board members John Derucki, Chuck Ingraham, and Penny Mraz receiving plaques as they begin their term. 

Ingraham, a 10-year ‘Adopt-A-Road’ sponsor, said he is “hoping to expand the sponsorship of road so that everybody can keep Forsyth County beautiful.”

Club of the Year award was presented to the school’s “BeCumming Green” team which consists of third, fourth and fifth grade students who are “committed to making our world a better place to live through environmental service” according to its Web site. It was chosen because, according to Tammy Wright, Manager of Environmental Programs at KFCB, it “rises above the rest” and “has accomplished more in one year what others take years to do.” 

CES teacher of Exceptional Children Anna Doll, one of the team’s sponsors—and Master Gardener—was awarded “Educator of the Year."  Said Wright, “[she is] a reminder of the difference passionate teachers make in the world.”  In addition to the award from KFCB, Doll received a cash award from Sawnee Woman’s Club, as has been the tradition of SWC.

The third award attributed to the elementary school was the “Junior Leadership” award which went to CES principal Pam Pajerski as a “leader in environmental education programs within the community,” stated Wright.

Shiloh Point Elementary School teacher Elizabeth Robinson received the “Recycling Coordinator of the Year” award which goes to a volunteer who “implements strategies to build recycling programs within schools,” explained Wright.

The “Adopt-A-Road Newcomer” award went to Boy Scout Troop 62 because it “far exceeded the minimum requirements of the program” said Wright.

DataScan was designated “2010-11 Sponsor of the Year” for its monetary donations and volunteers. “Every time we needed support, DataScan kept coming back with ‘we want to support [KFCB]. They are very deserving,” stated Wright. 

Monetary awards of $100 each were bestowed upon schools for their Phonebook Recycling Programs and 12 local schools were designated “Green Schools” at levels of Gold, Silver, and Bronze, based on KFCB requirements, and received banners. 

Centerpieces were made by Trisha Smith’s second grade class at John’s Creek Elementary School and the event was catered by The Catering Company Owned & Operated by Sandra Bottoms.

For more information about KFCB click here.