Chester Charter Student Receives Honorable Mention in Philadelphia Phillies 2012 Teacher All-Star Contest

It’s all smiles as Treneal Chambers (left), a fifth-grade student at Chester Community Charter School (CCCS), the largest K-8 charter school in Pennsylvania, poses with Shannon McGarry (right), a teacher at the school, as they attend the May 11, 2012 Philadelphia Phillies Teacher Appreciation baseball game, as part of the team’s 2012 Teacher All-Star Contest, where Chambers essay/nomination earned four tickets for her, and McGarry. The contest, which looks to honor local teachers, is hosted by The Philadelphia Phillies and the Newspapers in Education Department of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Chester, PA, May 16, 2012 – Treneal Chambers, a fifth-grade student at Chester Community Charter School (CCCS), the largest K-8 charter school in Pennsylvania, nominated her fourth grade teacher, Ms. Shannon McGarry, as part of the Philadelphia Phillies 2012 Teacher All-Star Contest, and earned four tickets for her, and her teacher, to attend the May 11, 2012 Philadelphia Phillies Teacher Appreciation game.

Chambers’ essay was chosen out of 1,500 submissions, as an honorable mention, among 30 other essays, with 10 essays winning the overall prize, two sets of complimentary tickets and the ability to participate in an awards ceremony prior to the first pitch.

The contest, in its twelfth year and hosted by The Philadelphia Phillies and the Newspapers in Education Department of The Philadelphia Inquirer, is open to people of all ages. It provides recognition for teachers who demonstrate mentorship, going above and beyond the set curriculum, who believe there is no such thing as “can’t” and who make every student feel loved and accepted.

In her nomination, Treneal wrote, “I nominate Ms. McGarry because she is a wonderful teacher. She takes her time out to help me… When I can’t get anything right, she would come over and say, “You can do it. I believe in you. I will always believe in you.

“… She’s also on my side when I don’t have a friend… No other teacher ever treated me like she does… I will never ever forget her.”

Chambers’ story is unique in that her family recently relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, in search of a better life and opportunities. Upon notification of the award, Treneal opted to stay behind to attend the ceremony and game.

Treneal, unable to receive help on the essay, which was submitted as a hand-written document, worked tirelessly to ensure it was mailed in on deadline, even going as far as seeking out neighbors and nearby relatives to provide an envelope and stamp to send the nomination.

“Our teachers are superb and it’s great that our students recognize and appreciate them,” said Dr. David Clark, CEO, Chester Community Charter School. “Ms. McGarry is just one member of our dedicated staff whose members continuously go above and beyond the call of duty for our students, making their education a personal goal. We, the leadership of the school, parents and students, are extremely fortunate to have teachers like Ms. McGarry instructing our youth. Kudos to Treneal and Shannon for this most deserving award recognition.”