HANCOCK — Superintendent Steve Patchin said that at during the April meeting of the Hancock School Board, the Copper Country Association of School Boards (CCASB) Awards were announced.

“These honors,” said Patchin, recognize individuals and organizations that have performed generous acts to benefit the district, its teachers, and/or its students throughout the past year.”

U.P Health Systems-Portage received the School Service Award.

School Service Award is presented to one individual in each district who has given outstanding service to education. The recipient may be a student, employee, or community member, and should be notable for his or her contributions to the quality of education above and beyond expectations associated with their job or status. These should be people who have been “spark plugs” for the district through means such as:

• Initiating activities and programs

• Identifying and acquiring resources

• Improving school climate

• Encouraging excellence in student achievement

“Their leadership team did a great job keeping us updated on the health trends in our area,” said Patchin, “helping us to manage the guidelines being provided us using accurate data. We greatly appreciated working with their team in offering voluntary vaccination clinics for both the flu and COVID-19 for our team. We are excited about this partnership and future collaborative opportunities.”

Two Hancock High School Juniors, Eleanor Tchida and Jenny Erickson, were recognized for their creative spirit during the pandemic, receiving the Student Creativity Award.

Student Creativity Award is presented to a student from each district at any grade level who has demonstrated exceptional creativity in their academic and extracurricular work. Recipients will most often express their creativity through excellence in music, performance, visual arts, and writing, but other forms of creativity may be honored as well. These students will typically have unique approaches to problem solving and will use a “creative spark,” rather than “standard practice,” in achieving their goal, states the website of the Copper Country Intermediate School District.

“These two students were chosen by their Art teacher to paint a Bulldog on the hallway wall, a request from Mr. Salani,” Patchin said. “Using techniques they learned in class, they combined the partial realism and abstract concepts, to create a unique design for their mural. Their work captured activities, values, and the spirit of our student body. It’s a must see when you visit our school. Thanks to these talented 11th graders for sharing your vision and artistic gifts.”

Additionally, teachers Callie Budweg and Hanna Impola received the Outstanding Education Award for their dedication to their students and their school’s academic standards.

“Ms. Budweg teaches English Language Arts in our high school, advises our The Publications Club (which keeps our social media updated), coaches in our girls volleyball program, has led our spirit week activities this year, was part of the teacher team to create our new trimester schedule for next year, and so much more,” said Patchin. “Ms. Impola teaches Mathematics in our middle school, coaches our boys JV Hockey team, led the creation and planning of the 1st Annual Homeroom Winter Olympics, helped develop our new trimester schedule for next year based on the middle school model, is helping coach girls Varsity Softball, and so much more. We greatly appreciate the leadership, creativity, and dedication to student growth and development that you exhibited this year. You are both role models for us all.”

Outstanding Education Employee Award is resented to (usually) one employee (teacher, administrator, staff) of each district who has given exemplary service on behalf of education. Recipients should be characterized for having had significant and meritorious impact on education of students or the success of an education system.

Districts may choose to honor an individual for:

• A long period of notable service

• Initiating or completing a specific noteworthy project

• For addressing a problem with creative solutions

• Stimulating colleagues to adopt imaginative programs

Patchin said the School Board and the education team appreciate the efforts, accomplishments and achievements of the award winners.

The selection process for the CCASB awards is determined by each Board of Education. The recipients are also selected by each Board of Education and are honored at the spring banquet. Award presentations will be made by three members of each Board of Education and will be allowed up to one minute for each presentation.