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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Democrats for Education Reform Announces 2011 Brian Bennett Education Warrior Awards
Five heroes honored for their efforts to improve public education across the U.S.
New York, NY, October 4, 2011 – Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) announced today the winners of the 2011 Brian Bennett Education Warrior Awards, which honor heroic leaders in education. The five winners include education advocate Dr. Howard Fuller, former Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member Yolie Flores, U.S. Representative George Miller, Success Charter Network Founder Eva Moskowitz, and Denver Public Schools Board Member Theresa Peña.
“This year, the public – parents, teachers, principals, and many others – nominated heroes,” said Kevin Chavous, DFER board chairman. “To see so many outstanding nominations come in was truly inspiring. In fact, it was no easy task to narrow the list down. We chose the five individuals who really stood out for their unparalleled efforts to improve education across the country, but the truth is we could have chosen 50. Congratulations to our honorees – and thank you for all that you do.”
2011 was the first year the public submitted nominations, and DFER received nearly 200. Award recipients were chosen based on their outstanding work to defy the status quo and reform our public school system and commitment to ensuring that every child has access to an excellent education.
“We’re honored to acknowledge these courageous warriors who fight every day for our children,” said Brienne Bellavita, DFER’s chief of staff. “It’s people like these – and indeed all of our nominees – who are helping to close the achievement gap that plagues this country. Their devotion and courage give me hope that together we can ensure every child has a shot.”
More information on the 2011 honorees follows:
• Yolie Flores currently serves as the CEO of Communities for Teaching Excellence. As a board member of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), Yolie Flores authored the controversial Public Choice Resolution, which created an annual process to identify and address the lowest performing schools in LAUSD, as well as the Teacher Effectiveness resolution to ensure that all students have access to an excellent teacher. These bold policy initiatives drew significant heat from opponents, but Flores never wavered. Ms. Flores also served as the CEO of the Los Angeles County Children’s Planning Council, where she led an ambitious change agenda to strengthen families and improve outcomes for children through large-scale systems reform, community engagement, data-driven planning, and policy development.