Burbank Council PTA acknowledged many members of the public school community at the 64th annual Honorary Service Awards banquet held Wednesday, April 16. Fifty-six individuals and organizations were recognized for their efforts on behalf of children.
Board of Education members Dave Kemp, Roberta Reynolds, Charlene Tabet and Larry Applebaum attended the HSA banquet, along with BUSD Superintendent Dr. Jan Britz and BUSD Directors Emilio Urioste, Tom Kissinger and Sharon Cuseo. The event was put together and hosted by Brenda Burroughs from Burbank Council PTA.
“This is always one of my favorite evenings of the year because volunteer service is so important to PTA and it’s great to have a chance to give some recognition to the people and organizations who are out there everyday supporting our schools and the community,” commented Steve Fritner, Burbank Council PTA President. “None of the people honored at the banquet were doing this work for recognition or awards, they were doing it because they care about children, about the schools and about Burbank.”
“The evening was a great success. Brenda and her committee did a first class job putting the event together,” Fritner added. “Many of our past HSA honorees come to the banquet each year. It’s great to see them, it helps remind everyone that PTA has a long history of volunteering in the schools and the community.”
HSA awards are given out by unit, council and district PTAs to acknowledge outstanding community service to children and youth, explained Fritner.
“I was especially happy to present the Council Awards to Barbara Miller and Annette Fiol. These two ladies personify what volunteer service is,” he also said.
John Burroughs High School Brass Quintet and the JBHS Woodwind Ensemble entertained the attendees and members of Burbank Girl Scout Troup 11456 were also on hand to present the Flag Ceremony.
Two people and one organization were awarded the Golden Oak Service Award, the most prestigious of the HSA awards. It is given to recognize significant contributions made toward the welfare of children and youth in a school or community. Linda Walmsley from Roosevelt Elementary and Georgine Archer from Muir Middle School were awarded the Golden Oak, while Washington Elementary recognized Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
“Linda Walmsley, our beloved Kindergarten teacher and advocate for our community, received the Golden Oak Award for her 43 plus years of service to our kids and community!” said Kathy Wills, who has taught Kindergarten at Roosevelt alongside Walmsley for 15 years.
“She was raised in Burbank and went through the school here. She has always been involved in the Burbank Schools and is so knowledgeable about Burbank politics and history,” added Wills. “She is a great Burbank resource and has quite a reputation.She has always jumped into efforts that improve the life of kids.”
“[Linda] has dedicated her days to the classrooms but her weekends and evenings she [has] worked hard to bring programs, services and funds to the all the youth of Burbank.”
“The reason why our Parent Teacher Association awarded Nickelodeon with the Golden Oak is because of their continuous help and support at our school,” commented Aylin Ghookhassian, Washington PTA President.
“For over a decade, Nickelodeon’s artists come to our school and take part in the Chalk Day and surprise the kids with all of their cartoon character drawings all over the school play yard. Not a spot is left empty and after the kids come out they spend time teaching them and giving them few tips.”
“This year, they even committed to do more for our school and they send their artists into classrooms from K-5 to do drawing lessons,” Ghookhassian added. “The kids are loving it and the parents really appreciate it.”
Archer “does so much for our school community, from attending Muir PTA meetings, working in the school garden, organizing math field days, as well as endless noteworthy work with twenty years of work with the Girl Scouts and a fifty year member of Delta Gamma making a difference in the community,” stated the event program, describing Archer’s service to Muir.
“Whether it is a family in need, an abandoned pet or a dying plant, Georgine Archer will find a way to help. She calls it an investment in family. We call her an investment in our world. Thank you Georgine Archer for your tireless work for our school.”
Honorary Service Award recipients for 2013-14:
Walt Disney Elementary
Shannon DiForte – Honorary Service Award
Dillon Ross – Honorary Service Award
Christina DiGiacomo – Honorary Service Award
Thomas Edison Elementary
Michael Spencer – Honorary Service Award
Jenny Geary – Honorary Service Award
Nalini Brigstocke – Honorary Service Award
Jennifer Tracy – Honorary Service Award
Michele Zepeda – Continuing Service Award
Ralph W. Emerson Elementary
Stephanie Lee – Honorary Service Award
Iberia and George Brogmus – Honorary Service Award
James Coomes – Honorary Service Award
Bret Harte Elementary
Sylvia Kelman – Honorary Service Award
Bernadette Reardon – Honorary Service Award
Robert Sanchez – Honorary Service Award
Thomas Jefferson Elementary
Stacy Eaton – Honorary Service Award
Nichole Moore – Honorary Service Award
Julie Barnhart – Honorary Service Award
William McKinley Elementary
Kathy Petzoldt – Honorary Service Award
Jamee Tingley – Honorary Service Award
Jenny Harris – Honorary Service Award
Joaquin Miller Elementary
Jennifer Bastian – Honorary Service Award
Christina Yang – Honorary Service Award
Debra Gaskin – Honorary Service Award
Providencia Elementary
Liz Pardo – Honorary Service Award
Natalie Porter – Honorary Service Award
Liz Watters – Honorary Service Award
Theodore Roosevelt Elementary
Jana Mattison – Honorary Service Award
Kelly McGowan – Honorary Service Award
Gema Sanchez – Continuing Service Award
Linda Walmsley – Golden Oak Service Award
Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary
Bernadette Galaviz – Honorary Service Award
Susan Gold – Honorary Service Award
Lisa Loomis – Honorary Service Award
Michelle Thornsberry – Honorary Service Award
Tina Rondinella – Outstanding Teacher Award
Karin Anderson – Outstanding Teacher Award
George Washington Elementary
Chandra Collins – Honorary Service Award
Arcy Covarrubias – Continuing Service Award
Susan Martin – Outstanding Teacher Award
Nickelodeon – Golden Oak Service Award
Luther Burbank Middle School
Black Sheep Squadron – Honorary Service Award
Vicki Thalheimer – Outstanding Teacher Award
Brian O’Rourke – Outstanding Administrator Award
David Starr Jordan Middle School
Jennifer Hughes – Honorary Service Award
Mike Graceffo – Continuing Service Award
Leonidas Tarca – Outstanding Administrator Award
John Muir Middle School
Michele Harris – Continuing Service Award
Georgine Archer – Golden Oak Service Award
Burbank High School
Tigran Khachikyan – Honorary Service Award
Augustine Garcia – Honorary Service Award
Kay Cee Mills – Outstanding Teacher Award
John Burroughs High School
John Paramo – Honorary Service Award
Yvonne Seta – Continuing Service Award
Burbank Council PTA Recipients
Barbara Miller – Continuing Service Award
Annette Fiol – Continuing Service Award
