Betsy Thomas — Nebraska State Literacy Association Distinguished Educator Award
Background
The Nebraska State Literacy Association was formed in 2017 with the mission of being advocates, educators and leaders in the cause of literacy and celebrating successes. The organization sponsors two awards annually, one of them being the Distinguished Educator Award. This award goes to a Nebraska educator who has strongly supported literacy. This year, Librarian Betsy Thomas from Kooser Elementary School was the recipient. Thomas went above and beyond to keep students engaged during the pandemic. Her efforts drew national attention, including an appearance on the “Today Show.”
Explanation
The Nebraska State Literacy Association honored Kooser Elementary School Librarian Betsy Thomas with the 2021 Distinguished Educator Award.
Here’s what her colleagues said about Thomas, particularly her efforts to keep students engaged and entertained during remote learning in the spring of 2020:
“Betsy’s imaginative filming using costumes, making theme-related backgrounds, utilizing a green screen to create locations, and also shooting live at a variety of locations soon caught the attention of not only the students, families and staff at her own school but also brought in viewers from across the city…It is obvious that Betsy loves reading to students and loves getting them excited about literature. Her creative work has reached not only the students and families in her own school, but has extended to those in the city, the state and the nation.”
Proposal
That the Lincoln Board of Education adopt the following resolution:
WHEREAS, the Nebraska State Literacy Association honored Kooser Elementary School Librarian Betsy Thomas with the Distinguished Educator Award; and
WHEREAS, Betsy Thomas went above and beyond to keep students engaged and entertained during remote learning in the spring of 2020; and
WHEREAS, Betsy Thomas’s creative teaching methods drew national praise; and
WHEREAS, Betsy Thomas works every day to instill a love of literature in her students; and
WHEREAS, Betsy Thomas is widely respected among her colleagues for her dedication, innovation and creativity;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Lincoln Board of Education
does hereby congratulate Betsy Thomas for winning the 2021 Distinguished Educator Award from the Nebraska State Literacy Association.
Updated May 13, 2021
