By Megan Miller, Editor
PINSON — The Pinson Education Foundation Banquet took place on Monday, May 2 at Palmerdale United Methodist Church.
Nearly 200 were in attendance to watch students and teachers alike receive awards for their outstanding commitment to academics and character. A teacher of the year award was given to a teacher from each Pinson City School, as well as character awards for 6th-11th graders, and a student of the year award was given to one lucky senior.
“Our mission here is to recognize greatness,” said Joe Cochran, Executive Director of PEF and Master of Ceremonies.
Joe Dean Jr. was the featured speaker on Monday night.
Dean was a three-year letterman in basketball at Mississippi State University in the 70’s, and after graduation he became assistant coach at the University of Kentucky from 1977-83 with a National Championship in his Tenure.
Dean was named basketball coach at Birmingham Southern College in 1983 and named Conference Coach of the Year three times during his run ad BSC. He also coached at Central Florida, and in 1994 was selected to the Birmingham Southern Hall of Fame.
Dean has served as Athletic Director for BSC as well as serving on the NCAA Basketball Rules Committee, as the Chairman of Community Relations for the Birmingham Bowl, and is a board member of the Foundry.
Dean’s presented a three-step “magic” formula to being successful: have the right attitude, learn how to overcome adversity and give effort in everything you do.
Dean said it’s important to maintain a positive attitude because it’s the one thing in life you maintain control over; and to remember that everyone gets disappointed from time to time.
“Nobody goes undefeated in life,” Dean said.
Lastly, he commented on the importance of effort.
“I can tell you right now that hard work does not ensure success,” Dean said. “But lack of hard work will ensure failure.”
Cochran said the committee wanted to ensure as many parts of Pinson Schools were involved in the banquet as possible. The culinary class cooked food, with the PVHS cheerleaders serving, the PVHS Chamber Choir performed and the baseball and football teams helped with set up and break down of the event.
The newest addition to this year’s event was the presentation of a career technical student of the year award, presented in honor of Cody “Big Country” Cole.
“Cody was an extremely well thought of young man in our community,” Cochran said. “In honor of Cody we’re naming this the Big Country Award, and it will be named that as long as I’m executive director of the program.”
Congratulations to the 2016 Pinson Education Foundation Awards Banquet winners.
PVHS Teacher of the Year: Chris Screws
Pinson Elementary Teacher of the Year:
Rodney Porterfield
Rudd Middle School Teacher of the Year: Allison Wolfe
Kermit Johnson Elementary Teacher of the Year: Dianne Davis
Support Staff winner: Charlotte Gardner, PVHS
Character winners:
6th grade: Anna Trucks and Aiden Smith
7th Grade: Kaylee Davis and Michael Witherspoon
8th grade: Somer Underwood and Matthew Hicks
9th grade: Zachary Bowden and Faith Potter
10th grade: Nicholas Blansett and Ambria Simmons
11th grade: Shelton Clevenger and Laurel Uhomba
Senior student of the year: Norma Contreras
2 Comments
Kimberly Wright Waldrop Brownlee
So proud of Dianne Davis!!!!! She is an awesome friend and an amazing teacher!
Meg Gentry Brooke
Congratulations, Chris! What a treasure PVHS students have in you as their teacher!!!