Gladys Abraham’s talented choir-mistress, Neomie Toussaint-Williams, was honored Friday with the V.I. Humanities Council’s Heath Award for Excellence, which is given to outstanding teachers that go the extra mile in exposing their students to the arts.
Humanities Council officials praised Toussaint-Williams for continuing to promote V.I. culture in the classroom and for her dedication in making sure her students fully understand their history, and the role it plays in their lives.
“What is exceptional about Mrs. Toussaint-Williams is that she doesn’t just use the classroom,” Gladys Abraham Principal Lisa Hassell-Forde said during a program held at the school Friday. “She has gone out into the community, has worked with the community, and has pulled the community back into the school.”
Humanities Council officials said Friday that they were impressed with Toussaint-Williams’ sincere dedication to teaching students’ about their culture.
Each recipient of the Heath Award for Excellence – established in 2003 by Dr. Alfred O. Heath in honor of his wife – receives a commemorative certificate and check for $1,000. Toussaint-Williams was also treated Friday to a special serenade from a group of her choir students (pictured above).
Mary McIntosh from St. Croix’s Eulalie Rivera Elementary and Norda Munoz Davila from St. Croix’s Educational Complex were also honored this year with Heath Awards, which were presented during ceremonies held over the past two weeks. The award is usually given to one teacher in each district, but this year, there was a tie on St. Croix, with each teacher receiving $500.
