2004 Nancy Zimpher Award for Best Partnership

Holmes Partnership - Nancy Zimpher Award for 
Best Partnership 2004

In January 2004, the Central Pennsylvania Holmes Partnership between the State College Area School District and Penn State's College of Education was recognized by the Holmes Partnership with the Nancy Zimpher Award. The Zimpher Award was inaugurated in 2004 by the Holmes Partnership to honor the outstanding school university partnership in the country. Since the Holmes Partnership is a national organization devoted to school university partnerships, the Zimpher Award is a very prestigious recognition.

The competition for the award included the submission of a thirty page written application. On the basis of the application, finalists were invited to the Holmes Partnership Annual Conference in San Diego in January 2004. At the conference, each finalist made an oral presentation to the panel of judges and also created a display that depicted the essential elements of the partnership. Traveling to San Diego to represent the Central Pennsylvania Holmes Partnership was a diverse team of educators including: David Monk, Dean of the College of Education; Cameron Bausch, Assistant to the Superintendent SCASD; Jean Vadella and Charlotte Zmyslo, Elementary Principals; Kelly Kaminski, Linda Margusity, Kimber Mitchell, Sara Ritto, Rodger Smith, Marion Wheland, and Kathy Yingling, Mentor Teachers; Mary Beth Amond, Elrena Evans, Debbie Hankin, Ellen Key, Donna King, and Lynne Sanders, Professional Development Associates; Brittany Ion and Jennifer Tallon, Interns; Laura Forster, Former Intern; Nancy Dana, Former Elementary Coordinator; and Jim Nolan, Elementary PDS Coordinator.