Sandy Cleland, Greece Community Education

This week's News 8 Golden Apple Award winner is a teacher who rarely sees her students face to face. She's Sandy Cleland from the Greece Community Education Adult Literacy Program.

Graduation was a dream come true for Deborrah Carter. Last summer she joined dozens of other students receiving their GED Diplomas through the Greece Community Education Adult Literacy Program. Deborrah even got to speak at the ceremony. "It was very important just to get it and especially in the economy, today jobs isn't as easy without a diploma."

Deborrah's friend Marcia Allen is working on her diploma right now. "It's an accomplishment in life that I passed up in my youth, that I really want to get."

Both ladies credit Distance Learning Teacher Sandy Cleland with helping them achieve their goals. And they asked us to surprise Sandy with a News 8 Golden Apple Award.

Sandy Cleland is a bubbly person who does most of her teaching over the telephone. Deborrah says she Guides her adult students, giving them confidence. "She went out of her way to help us get it and she was their for me every step of the way."

Nicole Viggiano is the Coordinator of Adult Learning for Greece Community Education. "And I've seen Sandy go above and beyond what a normal teacher does in the course of a day to help her students be successful both in their education and their life."

Sandy says teaching older students is rewarding.. and comes with one other benefit. "I love 'em, there are no parents to deal with!  But I really love helping them reach their goals.  It changes their lives when they get their diploma."

Sandy Cleland is a News 8 Golden Apple Award Winner. You can read The letter we got from Deborrah and Marcia below.



Dear Channel 8,

  We nominate Sandy Cleland, because she helps so many people get their GED's. Sandy has a lot of patience. She is a fine teacher and anyone, any grade would be privileged to have her.
  She doesn't get frustrated and takes her time to show she cares about your success. We nominate her for her excellence in teaching!

Sincerely,
Deborrah Carter & Marcia Allen