OKEMOS - EAST LANSING - On Thursday November 21st, the Okemos Education Foundation (OEF) held the 23rd annual award banquet at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center.

The event began at 5:30 pm and people socialized with musical entertainment by students from the Okemos High School, along with dinner and dessert at 6:30 pm. The purpose of the event was to recognize nine individuals for their contributions and working with students in the Okemos Public Schools.

Sue Hallman, OEF Co-Chair, spoke to everyone to start the celebration, as well as Trustee's Tena Sinila and Donna Kregelka to honor the current and former students, who shared their perspective of what makes an excellent teacher.

One of the nine individuals was a distinguished alumni from class of 1959 at Okemos High School. Dr. Walter N. Schreiner was honored for his outstanding contributions towards education with excellence, and spoke to the everyone for being recognized for his leadership. The remaining eight recipients had video presentations before receiving special recognition from various schools around public schools in Okemos and one school in Owosso spoke and thanked everyone who supported them.

HOMTV spoke with Jonathan Hughey, an elementary teacher at Cornell Elementary about the recognition he received and said, "One important way to motivate your kids is you gotta have a relationship with them. You have to get to know and care about them before there motivated to do work school work. Definitely in and out of the classroom you need to get to know them as people before you motivate them." Hughey also said that feels that he teachers can learn from me, just as I'm learning from them. Being a role model to the children is important as well.

Another teacher from Okemos Public Schools was recognized for her contribution for better education was Kathy Martin. She told HOMTV that, "I was very surprised about it and I was really honored to received it for people to recognize me for I do in our district."

Martin added that, "I’ve learned so many things from so many different teachers and been able to use them with the students."