Nominations for the 2018 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching are now open to the public, with the deadline for voting set for Friday, March 23.

The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture & Lands to bring back the awards ceremony after a five year hiatus, and they need your help in recognising the outstanding teachers in the following categories:

• Primary school teacher (public)

• Primary school teacher (private)

• High school teacher (public)

• High school teacher (private)

• Principal (primary or public school)

The final category for recognition is the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Chamber is urging all members of the community to submit a nomination.

“Whilst it is essential that we celebrate all of the teachers in the local education systems, the Lifetime Achievement Award is particularly important, as the recipient will have dedicated decades of their life to helping others,” said President Paul Byles.

“These educators have gone above-and-beyond the call of duty, giving their heart and soul to teaching others and shaping the leaders of tomorrow.”

At the inaugural Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching, Islay Conolly, MBE was recognised with the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award. She served as Principal of the East End School for 13 years before being appointed as Deputy Chief Education Officer in 1966. By 1970 she was appointed Chief Education Officer, and during her time in this role she was instrumental in the establishment of significant programmes such as the Unit for Education of the Deaf based at George Town Primary School (which later evolved into the Lighthouse School), the introduction of Community College classes based at the Cayman Islands High School (later developing into the tertiary institution), among others.

In 2009, the award was presented to Marjorie Lois Ebanks, who served as the principal of Triple C school for 24 years, spending a remaining six years at the institution as Director. Her efforts to the education system and on the Education Council saw her awarded the Certificate and Badge of Honour.

The most recent recipient of the award is Mrs. Janilee Clifford, who was recognised at the 2013 gala. Mrs. Clifford started her career in education in 1965 as a substitute teacher at both George Town Primary School and Cayman Prep School. She became a full-time teacher at Cayman Prep in 1968, where she worked her way up through the different groups, and she spent the majority of her 30-year career teaching group five children. She was promoted to Department Head of groups three, four and five, a position she held until her retirement in 1996.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises those that have left a significant impact on the education system, changing the classroom, the school and the lives of children for the better.

To be eligible for consideration, the nominee for the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award must be living, and must have spent a minimum of 25 years in the education system, with 15 of those years being based in the Cayman Islands.

To submit your nomination for the Lifetime Achievement Award, visithttp://www.caymanchamber.ky/goldenappleawards.html.

IMAGE: Mrs. Janilee Clifford received the Lifetime Achievement award for her services to education at the 2013 Golden Apple Awards.

SOURCE: http://web.caymanchamber.ky/wcnews/NewsArticleDisplay.aspx?articleid=4154