Pa. Legion recognizes J-M teacher as top in ’15
With so many large school districts in the state, Tom Shumaker, adjutant of the Filer-Sadlek American Legion Post 954 in Jefferson, didn’t think Jefferson-Morgan Middle School social studies teacher Robert Ardeno would be named the 2015 PA American Legion “Educator of the Year.”
“This award is given to one person,” said Shumaker, who is also the Western Vice Commander of the American Legion. “I was pretty sure somebody else would get it.”
The award is given to one teacher in the state each year that has contributed significantly toward promoting the American Legion and the programs that they offer for students, demonstrated leadership within the community and the classroom and exhibited exemplary teaching abilities and skills.
Shumaker, who filled out the application for Ardeno, and the other delegates in the state agreed that the teacher from Jefferson-Morgan exemplified all of those qualifications when he was awarded the title Saturday.
“I always tell myself that there is someone out there more deserving than me,” Ardeno said. “I didn’t go into teaching to be recognized. I went in for the students and to help them become successful.”
Shumaker said Ardeno stands out due to how he has worked the American Legion’s programs into his curriculum for his students. A couple of those programs involved students participating in essay and poster contests. Both of these programs were inserted into Ardeno’s lesson plans as extra credit opportunities for students.
“The essay topic this year was: ‘Should violent video games be banned? Why or why not?'” Ardeno said. “I do this because it gives (students) a better understanding of what the legion offers and most of the programs they do are things the students can relate to.”
Ardeno had no idea that by endorsing these programs, inviting Shumaker to talk to his students on Veterans Day and by giving students extra credit for going out to the cemetery on the Saturday before Memorial Day to place flags on veterans graves, that it would lead to him winning such a prominent award.
Shumaker and other delegates agreed that teachers like Ardeno do not receive enough recognition for the work that they do and that is why they created this award and presented Ardeno with a plaque at a banquet Harrisburg in front of 2,000 people.
“I don’t know if this has ever happened before, that a Jefferson-Morgan teacher has won this award,” Shumaker said. “He is a good guy and he certainly deserves it.”