The Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award - 2006
Lee Prior
Nominated By The Honorable C. James Carr
Wheaton
Lee Prior
Lee Prior has taught at all levels of public education—elementary, middle, and high school—during her tenure in the Wheaton-Warrenville School District 200, but her contribution to student learning in her community extends well beyond her duties in the classroom. Currently Ms. Prior is a guide teacher, providing learning support and guidance to students and collaborating with classroom teachers regarding teaching styles and learning differences to accelerate all students' learning opportunities. According to Mayor C. James Carr, "her passion is for alternative learning opportunities and to help all students see themselves as learners." To achieve this goal, she has co-developed different educational settings, including a multi-age integrated team and an interdisciplinary class with a social justice perspective. She hopes one day to co-found an alternative public school. Ms. Prior is also a first degree black belt, a skill she uses to help at-risk students through the "Pathways for Achievement" program, which helps young people acquire study skills while learning martial arts. She is a member of Community Partners in Poetry, a group that seeks to enrich the communities of Wheaton and Warrenville through poetry. Ms. Prior has been nominated for a Golden Apple Award and a Disney Heroes in American Education Award.Return to the archive listing for The Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award - 2006
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