Evergreen Elementary School teacher Therese Souers, center, maintained her scholarly composure despite her surprise when Jan Kampbell, right, public relations and market development manager for CenturyLink, and Doug Culbert, CenturyLink's area plant supervisor for Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula, left, presented her with a check for $4,733 earlier this month. Photo by Hugh McMillan, KP News
During a morning staff meeting last month, Therese Souers was surprised. She was even more surprised when Jan Kampbell, public relations and market development manager for CenturyLink, called her up front to honor her with a 2014 CenturyLink Teachers and Technology Award of $4,733.
Souers, a second and third-grade teacher at Evergreen Elementary School who wrote the grant for the award in January had told school principal Hugh Maxwell she did not think the school was in the running since she had not heard anything.
A couple days later, Maxwell said that Chuck Cuzzetto, Peninsula Schools District superintendent called to him me know that Therese was one of only 21 recipients from across Washington who received an award.
The grant will provide 12 computers and a cart to support student research using a problem-based learning approach. It will also help close the digital divide that exists in rural areas due to a lack of access to technology and the internet.
“I was surprised and delighted when I was awarded the grant from CenturyLink. Being able to provide our students with opportunities to access mobile technology is so exciting,” Souers said.
"Therese is very dedicated to helping all students in our school and excels in the area of technology integration,” said Maxwell. “Her excitement and energy around technology for teaching and learning was evident from the moment I accepted the Evergreen Principal position last summer. She really deserves this award and the recognition that comes with it,” he said.
