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Lindsey Pantele ‘09, MAT ‘10 is one of only 16 winners statewide of an R.E.B Award for Teaching Excellence, which recognize public school teachers who distinguish themselves by their inspiring classroom performance. The $12,000 award is given by the Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia based on nominations submitted by students, parents and faculty.
Pantele teaches advanced placement literature and composition, college preparatory English and pre-AP English at Glen Allen High School (GAHS) in Henrico County, Virginia. “Winning the R.E.B. Teaching Excellence Award is still very surreal to me,” she says. “I am humbled to be included in this group of outstanding public school educators.”
The winners can use the grant money to support professional development activities in order to re-ignite their own passion for learning and pass it on to their students. Pantele plans to travel to England, Germany and Greece while conducting research on the heroic, classical Greek, Renaissance and modern literary periods.
Pantele’s achievement garnered praise from students and colleagues alike, including Reginald Davenport, principal of GAHS. “Lindsey is an exemplary and compassionate teacher,” he says. “Her enthusiasm and concern for her students make her classroom a welcoming and conducive environment for learning. She is a role model for students and teachers alike with a willingness to continue learning and improving her craft.”
For Pantele, the trip is an opportunity for her to achieve a life-long dream. “I’ve longed to visit these countries for years,” she says. “I’ve always been extremely interested in my family’s history. Having never been to Greece, I would love to connect my love for heroic literature to my familial background while sharing this experience with my students and colleagues.”
Initially a graduate of CNU in 2009 with a bachelor of arts in English and language arts, Pantele remained for a fifth year in the Master of Arts in Teaching Program. She credits her own experiences with great teachers as her continuing inspiration as an educator. “I always appreciated how my teachers made learning fun while holding us to a high standard,” she says. “The motivation they instilled in me made a huge difference in my life. It was then that I knew this was the job I wanted to pursue so I could have a lasting impact on my students.”