Honor Bronx Teacher For Building Bridges With Local Community

A Teacher at a high school in The Bronx April 7 won a nationwide education award from the National Civic League for community outreach programs that she developed with her students.

Heather Waters, who teaches at the Millennium Art Academy in Castle Hill, was named one of the 25 winners of the 2009 MetLife Foundation Ambassadors in Education awards, which is given for "building bridges between local schools and communities." The award comes with a $5,000 grant for her school.

Cite Special Ed. Outreach

Ms. Waters was recognized for her collaboration with the special education department of her school to create an outreach program to the neighborhood's elementary school for special needs students. Ms. Waters, the school's Intergenerational Program Director, trained volunteering students to serve as teaching assistants.

She also worked with nearby nursing homes and senior centers—where her students gained work experience as nursing assistants and tutors— and galleries, where they worked on special art projects.

"This year's winners are some of the most gifted and dedicated teachers in the country," said Gloria Rubio- Cortes, the president of the National Civic League. "Each and everyone one of them has an important story to tell of how professional educators, parents, students, business leaders and community organizations can work together to improve schools and communities." D.S.