The Ledger
The Ledger’s 45th annual Silver Garland Awards will again be a virtual event this year. The awards presentation will go live Friday at 6 p.m. on The Ledger’s website at www.theledger.com/silvergarland.
This is the second straight year that The Ledger has opted to forego the customary gathering in recognition of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Ledger Media Group Marketing Director Bruce Dube will lead a video produced for the virtual presentation. High school seniors from Polk County will be recognized for service to their schools and their communities in 11 categories: art, athletics, citizenship, communications, English, foreign language, mathematics, music, performing arts, science and vocational technology.
The Ledger s 45th annual Silver Garland Awards presented online
A worldwide pandemic didn’t stop Polk County students from pursuing their goals, and once again The Ledger adjusted to honor those students in a non-traditional way.
The Ledger held an online presentation Friday to reveal winners of the 45th annual Silver Garland Awards. It is the second consecutive year that the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented the traditional awards ceremony to be held in person.
The Silver Garlands is the longest-running and most prestigious awards program for high school students in Polk County. The awards, not intended as a talent contest or a scholastic competition, recognize students for service to their schools and their communities.
LAKELAND By the time Maude Graham was just 9 years old, she had lost both of her parents and struggled to read. She decided to go into teaching to help students who were like her in school.
“I learned that teachers were progressing me because I was young and fragile, wide-eyed, eager to learn and very obedient,” Graham told Polk County Public School officials. “Knowing this, I always wanted to become the teacher who taught students who struggled as I had. I always dreamt of teaching students reading strategies, no matter the circumstances that stood in their way.”
Now 40 years old, Graham was named the Polk County Public Schools 2021 Teacher of the Year on Thursday night at a scaled-back ceremony at the RP Funding Center.
Reply
The Polk County School District announced its 2021 Teacher of the Year and 2021 School-Related-Employee of the Year at a ceremony. (Polk County Public Schools District )
POLK COUNTY, FL The Polk County School District announced its 2021 Polk County Teacher of the Year and the district s 2021 School-Related-Employee of the Year Thursday night.
Maude Graham, a third-grade teacher at Rosabelle W. Blake Academy, was named 2021 Polk County Teacher of the Year.
Maude Graham, a teacher at Rosabelle W. Blake Academy, was named 2021 Polk County Teacher of the Year. (Polk County School District)
Graham teaches language arts and social studies. She became an orphan at a young age, with both of her parents passing away by the time she was nine. She struggled in school with reading but felt a desire to pursue a career as a teacher.