Seattle Public Schools Press Release:

Patricia A. Bliquez, a teacher/librarian at Roxhill Elementary School, was named a winner of the 19th Annual Golden Apple Award for excellence in education. KCTS 9, a sponsor of the program, recognized Bliquez and seven other teachers and principals across the state for making a positive difference in Washington state education for Pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 students.



Blinquez was honored for making the library the “beating heart” of Roxhill Elementary and collaborating with fellow teachers to integrate resources with the subjects and concepts in their lesson plans. “Her enthusiasm for turning students into readers and global citizens truly circulates throughout the entire school,” according to an excerpt in her profile.

Two organizations with programs active in Seattle Public Schools were also winners of Golden Apple Awards:



■ The Henry Art Gallery Student Guide Program was honored for its partnership with Roosevelt High School students who are trained as museum docents. The students create and lead interactive tours for the community and their peers.



■ The Institute for Systems Biology was recognized for its commitment to education – working with future scientists and engineers at the schools and encouraging working scientists to help judge science fairs and develop classroom science activities. 



The following are descriptions of these winners from the KCTS 9 news release:

Patricia A. Bliquez, Teacher/Librarian, Roxhill Elementary School. Seattle
librarian and reading teacher Pat Bliquez has made her library the beating heart of Seattle's Roxhill Elementary. Pat is a collaborator, partnering with fellow teachers to integrate resources with the subjects and concepts in the lesson plans—connecting kids with books, artifacts and activities. Roxhill’s students are largely from low-income homes, with more than 80 percent of students receiving free or reduced lunch, and Pat works tirelessly to enrich each child’s imagination and curiosity. This often means going beyond books to make the library a place where children are active participants in their own learning. Through her dedication and leadership, the school has partnered with the Frye Art Museum over the past three years in a “Visual Thinking Strategies” curriculum to develop critical thinking, communication and visual literacy skills. Her enthusiasm for turning students into readers and global citizens truly circulates throughout the entire school.


Henry Art Gallery Student Guide Program, Seattle


Since 1997, the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington and Roosevelt High School have partnered to bring students a greater appreciation for art in their everyday lives. With guidance from museum educator Halinka Wodzicki, Roosevelt students are trained as museum docents to create and lead interactive tours for the community and their peers. As student guides, they must learn how to analyze art and lead public discussions that can involve complicated issues of societal ethics and morality. By getting directly involved as ambassadors for the Henry, students gain valuable real-world experience in a leadership role and growth opportunities beyond developing a relationship with art. As one student reflected on what she’d gained through her experience, “I’ve learned to keep an open mind; I’ve learned the important lesson that not everyone likes what I like, and I have learned to value that.”


Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle


From its inception in 2000, Seattle's Institute for Systems Biology has made an organization-wide commitment to education, “not only to encourage future scientists and engineers, but also to develop a scientifically literate society.” Led by president and co-founder Leroy Hood, ISB scientists are encouraged to contribute to science education by judging science fairs and developing classroom science activities. A specialized group of ISB scientists works full-time to foster school district partnerships, and to assist other ISB and community scientists in their educational partnerships. In 2009, ISB — an organization whose research papers are judged to be among the best in the world — provided 900 professional development events, reaching more than 800 science educators in 44 Washington school districts. And their efforts work: Student achievement in middle schools with the highest levels of poverty shows the greatest gains.

The Golden Apple Award winners will be honored in ceremonies January 21, 2011, at Seattle's Intiman Theater. In addition to the Golden Apple statuette, each individual honoree will receive $250, and each winning program will receive $500. PEMCO Insurance will also award each Golden Apple recipient a $1,500 grant to use to support his or her classroom, school or educational program.

Winners will be featured in a prime-time broadcast on public television stations statewide to air in February 2011.