2002 Prior Awards Announced

Winners Announced for Gladys Prior Awards

JACKSONVILLE --Four Jacksonville teachers with a combined total of 132 years of teaching experience have been selected to receive $10,000 each as this year’s recipients of the Gladys Prior Awards for Career Teaching Excellence. The 2002 winners announced Friday at their respective schools are:

• William N. Babcock, a history teacher at The Bolles School with 42 years of experience. 
• Jane Feber, an English teacher at Mandarin Middle School with 29 years of experience.
• Sandra J. (Sandy) McCoy, an English teacher at Mandarin High School with 27 years of experience. 
• Beverly T. McMillan, an eighth grade teacher and vice principal at St. Pius V Parish School with 34 years of experience.

The awards, administered by the University of North Florida, are now in their fifth year. They were established by Jacksonville native Gilchrist Berg founder and president of Water Street Capital, a national investment firm headquartered in Jacksonville. He named them for Gladys Prior, his own fourth-grade teacher at Ortega Elementary School, whom he said saw potential in him and encouraged his academic and personal growth.

Dr. Kathe Kasten, dean of UNF’s College of Education and Human Services, which administers the awards, praised the recipients. “The Gladys Prior Awards represent a remarkable local effort to recognize outstanding teachers. Again this year, I am pleased to note that our recipients are not only individually deserving but together represent the very best of the teaching profession."

William N. Babcock
Babcock has been at The Bolles School since 1966 and is a graduate of the University of Florida where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In addition to serving as student activities director for 14 years, Babcock has organized and sponsored the Student Council and served as senior class sponsor for several years. He also has been the National Honor Society Teacher of the Year in 1968, The Bolles Teacher of the Year (selected by faculty) in 1991 and the Edward Ford Teaching Fellow (selected by student committee) in 2001.

Jane Feber
Feber received her bachelor’s degree from Jacksonville University followed by her master’s degree at UNF. She has spent her entire career in the Duval County Schools. One of her major accomplishments has been a collaboration with the Mental Health Association of Northeast Florida to form the Mental Health Forum for Kids, by Kids and about Kids. In the program, her students complete research essays on major mental illnesses. The students then present their papers in a professional forum which takes place during a class trip to a major medical center in Jacksonville. In 1987, she was named Duval County Teacher of the Year.

Sandra J. (Sandy) McCoy
McCoy, who received her bachelor’s degree from Jacksonville University, has taught at Terry Parker, Wolfson, Bishop Kenny, and St. Paul’s Catholic School before going to Mandarin High School. At Mandarin High she has co-organzied the Adopt-A-Mustang program which pairs a varsity football player with a teacher. She also coordinates the after-school peer tutoring program which is free to all students. In 1999-2000, she was named Teacher of the Year for Mandarin High School. She was also Teacher of the Year at Wolfson High School as well as a Duval County semi-finalist for the 1989-90 school year.

Beverly T. McMillan
McMillan, a graduate of Edward Waters College, has been at St. Pius School as a seventh and eight grade teacher for her entire teaching career. In addition to being vice principal, she is also the mentor to new teachers and school newspaper sponsor. Last year, she led her students in a cooperative Internet project with 50 other schools, one from each state. Students in those schools created postcards of their state, sent e-mails describing their state and made quilt squares which were sent to each of the participating schools. She also has received the St. Pius Alumni Teaching Excellence Award.

Duval County teachers, both public and private, are eligible for the awards. Requirements are 10 years teaching, state certification and a documented record of sustained teaching excellence and inspiration of students. Nominations are open to all with most coming from parents, former students or school administrators.