The Golden Shamrock award, established in 1990, serves as a way to celebrate and recognize outstanding employees of the Dublin community. Each year, from October to May (excluding January), two exceptional employees are chosen by the Committee. The Golden Shamrock Committee is comprised of Dublin community members, school district members and local business representatives.
This month, the Golden Shamrock award recognizes two Dublin Coffman High School employees, Kristen Chesser and David Woodmansee. Chesser is the choir director at John Sells Middle School and Woodmansee is a modern world history teacher at Dublin Coffman High School.
Woodmansee, who attended Dublin City Schools as a student in the 1980s, is proud to receive the award as a teacher.
“I have had the fortune to be influenced by so many phenomenal educators who were recipients of the Golden Shamrock Award. Being honored in the same way as these fantastic educators is a very humbling experience,” Woodmansee says.
“Those teachers and many of my colleagues have greatly influenced my career, but any success I have had over the years has been directly influenced and inspired by my students. This year has definitely been a challenge for so many people in education, but I feel like I have the greatest job in the world because of my wonderful students. Their fingerprints are all over this extremely meaningful award,” he says.
Chesser is grateful to have received the Golden Shamrock award.
“Winning the Golden Shamrock Award is very special to me. I was nominated by my peers, the paraprofessionals who work closely with the special needs students, for a music class that I developed for those students,” Chesser says. “I am in awe every day of our parapros and their work. They help me so much during the class in implementing the lesson for the students. I couldn’t do it without them. It is gratifying to work with the special needs students and see them learn. It is also gratifying to work with people so dedicated to their jobs.”
Some rules for the Golden Shamrock include that all Dublin City Schools employees are eligible to receive the award, it is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement, the recipients are recognized by the Dublin Board of Education during regular board meetings, nominations are accepted throughout the year and can be made by both employees and the public and winners are surprised with the award at a celebration in their building.
One aspect of the award that is emphasized is the fact that it recognizes not only teachers, but bus drivers, food services workers and custodians as well. The running list of Golden Shamrock winners can be found on the Dublin Schools website, along with the nomination form.
Helen Widman is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
