Sally Blanton Receives ABCD Award at Foundation Meeting

The 2009 Jolene Litton ABCD (Above and Beyond the Call of Duty) Award was presented to Sally Blanton, technology facilitator at Burns Middle School.  The presentation took place at the May 14, 2009 Greater Cleveland County Schools' Educational Foundation meeting.

Since the mid-80’s, Sally Blanton has worked as a technology facilitator, and goes above and beyond her assigned responsibilities to ensure success for every student and teacher at Burns Middle.  Whether teaching students, conducting staff development, or creating new, innovative and effective instructional and technology strategies, she is a responsible, enthusiastic, competent educator.  Her principal, Jeff Benfield, describes her as a “model of dedication to the development of innovation in instructional technology.”   Sally has a gentle and delightful sense of humor, and her positive attitude is contagious.  Sally received a trophy for herself, and a plaque to take back to her school. In addition she received a FLIP video camera from the Cleveland County Schools Technology Services Department.

The ABCD award will be presented each year to an educator within our district who effectively models the use of technology, and encourages unique and innovative technology projects and practices within their school.  The award is sponsored by the Greater Cleveland County Schools' Educational Foundation and the Cleveland County Schools Technology Services Department.

2005 was the first year of the ABCD Award.  This award is presented in honor of Mrs. Jolene Litton and her service to the students and teachers of Cleveland County Schools.  Mrs. Litton was one of the first Curriculum/Technology Coordinators in the district- serving at Boiling Springs Elementary.  She served on the first district technology planning committee, and chaired the technology planning committee at Boiling Springs Elementary.  She served as a model to others through the implementation of TLA's- Technology Learning Activities- fostering higher order thinking skills and problem solving.  Mrs. Litton also set up one of the first media production studios in our elementary schools.  As well as being a school-based leader, she provided many, many hours of professional development to educators in Cleveland County.  Mrs. Litton is always on the cutting edge.  When satellite programs first became available in the early 1990's, students at Boiling Springs were some of the first to reap the benefits by receiving elementary Spanish over the satellite network.  She has also served as a North Carolina representative of a NASA committee to create national technology standards.

The ABCD was conceptualized by Dr. George Litton, chairman of the Cleveland County Board of Education and member of the Greater Cleveland County Schools' Educational Foundation.  The award was presented by Cheryl Lutz, Director of Instructional Technology and the selection committee reviewing the nominations for the 2009 award included: Donna Senter, Director of Elementary Education, John Goforth, Director of Secondary Education, Mitchell Self, Director of Administrative Technology, Donna Carpenter, Director of Public Information, David Grose, Director of Communication, and Cheryl Lutz, Director of Instructional Technology.