RHS Counselor Named Unsung Hero

Published August 27, 2009

Ravenwood High School counselor Tonya Lewis is being recognized as an "unsung hero". Each year, the insurance company ING salutes 100 educators from across the nation with its Unsung Heroes awards program. Lewis will receive a $2,000 grant for her "Windows on the World" project, which is designed to promote cultural awareness at Ravenwood High.

Lewis says the idea for "Windows on the World" came about two years ago when she was approached by several students who wanted to start an international club. "I love learning about all of the cultures and I love learning about

the rest of the world," says Lewis. "So I took the initiative to serve as the sponsor for the club and then the idea came forth."

The money from the grant will be used for student and staff development. Lewis says some of it will be used by Ravenwood art students so that they can create special art projects related to cultural awareness. The money will also help pay for a workshop where Ravenwood band members will learn to play samba music.

The 2009 winners were selected from a group of more than 2,000 applications. Among the 100 finalists, three will be chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000. And while the extra funding would be nice, Lewis says she's just happy to be able to make a difference in the lives of her students.

"I’m very happy because it’s given me an opportunity to give back to the school community," says Lewis. "This grant wasn’t about me at all. It’s about finding ways to help improve the climate within our school and so this is just a step in that direction."