The Academy for Character Education at The Sage Colleges, Troy, N.Y. is pleased to announce this year’s Champions of Character awardees for leadership in education and community service. Nominees are selected who demonstrate positive character traits within their profession and in the wider community.

The Sage Colleges Champions of Character

Administrators: Robert Grebert, Lori Maki

Faculty Member: Deborah Lawrence

Students: Sharon Domine, Joshua Hewitt, Jane Spear

Staff Member: Carolyn Van DeMark

Teacher/Educator Leadership

Jeanine Zaccara, One World Club, Edison School, Port Chester CSD

Joanne Hyde, K-6 School Counselor,Wolcott St. School, LeRoy CSD

Patrick Morris, Greenwich Jr-Sr HS Counselor, Greenwich CSD

Sean Peterson, 11-12^th Grade Social Studies Teacher, Wallkill Sr. HS, Wallkill CSD

Heather Larkin, Assistant Professor,University at Albany

University Organization

NYS American Association of University Women, Eileen Hartmann, President

Community Volunteer

Aaron Johnson, Cohoes Community Center/Van Schiack Grade School

School Administrator Leadership

Joe Palmer, Principal, Harrison Ave ES, So. Glens Falls CSD Michael Effie, Principal, Cleveland ES, Central Square CSD

Student Leadership

Sarah Risko, New Lebanon Jr-Sr. High School

 Student Organization

Mike Feurstein- Director, How to Unmake a Bully, Glendaal ES, Scotia Glenville CSD

Community Organization

Pride Center of the Capital Region- Nora Yates, Executive Director

Business Leader Award

E. Stewart Jones, Esquire, Attorney & Civic Benefactor- Troy, NY

Business Organization Award

KeyBank, NA

Civic Leader Award

Tina Marie Smith, President, Troy Housing Authority Tenant Association

Civic Organization Award

Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County

___________________________________________________________________________
Formal announcements and presentations will be made during The Academy for Character Education’s Champions of Character Award Banquet on April 3, 2012 at the Franklin Plaza Ballroom in Troy.  For further information or tickets for this event, please contact The Academy for Character Education at The Sage Colleges (http://www.sage.edu/centers/charactered) (518) 244-2336.  

The Academy for Character Education was established in 2000 to help foster the character traits of responsibility, civility, respect, honesty, fairness, trustworthiness and citizenship in students throughout the educational spectrum as well as in families and communities. While its primary goal is to help school districts integrate the concepts of Character Education into their formal and informal curriculum, the Academy pursues a comprehensive approach to character development reaching out to all sectors of the larger community including the family, civic organizations, businesses, and government

The Academy, which operates within Sage's School of Education, provides training institutes, in-service days for teachers and staff, leadership training for students and specialized programs for other sectors of the community.