4 CC teachers to receive Star Awards

Foundation honoring educators Saturday at banquet

Staff Report

Four teachers will be honored Saturday evening at the Charles City Excellence in Education Foundation banquet at the Elks Club in Charles City.

Dene Lundberg, Jim Lundberg, Erik Hoefer and Brad Ritter will receive Star Awards for the good they have done local education.

The banquet begins at  5:30 p.m. at the Elks Club, 2111 Clark Street. Tickets for the fundraising event are available for $40 per person and may be purchased at the superintendent’s office in the Charles City Middle School.

The purpose of the foundation is to provide a way for people to make tax-deductible donations for designated and under-designed purposes to benefit students of the Charles City Community School District.

The Star Awards were first introduced last year to acknowledge outstanding individuals or organizations in the community. There are three categories in which a Star Award is presented:

• To individuals whose actions improve the culture or climate of a school within the Charles City Community School District. These can be school employees, students or community members.
• To individuals who show excellence in the workplace. They can be a school employee or student.
• To individuals or organizations that positively seeks to promote the school district within the community, regional or state levels. These can be school employees, students or community members.

Dene Lundberg is being awarded for Excellence in the Workplace.

She was nominated by  Bob Thomson and Margie Jensen, who said:

“As members of the Charles City community, we have each been aware of the many ways that Lundberg has mentored young people. She has encouraged them in their service to faith, school and work life. We can only imagine the doors that have been opened and opportunities that were previously dreams.

“Lundberg has developed highly innovative programs and class offerings which move students from learning basic life skills to implementing high quality skills in community wide opportunities. She is progressive in the classroom and demonstrates an outstanding ability to match her curriculum to the needs of the changing educational climate.

“Her excellent educational foundation in the classroom is matched with her outward care and concern for students. She motivates and encourages her students to follow their passion and to use their skills to develop successful careers.

“Lundberg has developed classes and programs which stretch beyond the classroom to help student reach their full potential. She leads by example in helping her students understand that hard work and service above self are the keys to success. She has dedicated her life to helping students. It is been said by her students, they desire to work hard for Mrs. Lundberg because she works so hard for them. Her dedication to her profession sets her apart and she is well deserving of being recognized for excellence in the workplace.”

Jim Lundberg is being awarded for positively promoting the school district within the community, regional or state level.

He was nominated Bob Thomson and Margie Jensen, who said:

“Lundberg has been a role-model and leader for young men and women throughout his career. He has challenged students to dream and grow beyond what they thought possible. He has developed and encouraged leadership at the local and state level.

“His passion for agribusiness has been instilled in his students over his long career in the Charles City Community School District. He has established a model for engaging students in local, state, national and even world-wide service.

“He is well-known in the state for his peer group as an excellent agriculture teacher and FFA leader. He has trained hundreds of students in leadership skills which have carried them from the Charles City High School to the next levels of their education and eventually on to their careers.

“He is a role-model for his students in his dedication for his profession, compassion for those around him and commitment to better his community. He has played an integral role in the growth of the programming for students at the Floyd County Fair and in the development of the Floyd County Enrichment Center.

“He promotes our schools and our community at a wide range of state and national levels through his work with FFA. His desire to help his students mature and achieve is evident in all he does. His desire for his students is to help them succeed not only in the classroom but to help them become leaders and to find passion in all they do.

“His work with students has had a significant impact on the community, state, nation and world.”

Erik Hoefer is being awarded for improving the culture and the climate within the school district.

He was nominated by Sara Stewart, who said:  

“Dedication, commitment, compassion and leadership are core values that define Erik Hoefer. He seeks to serve others in his family, his school, his church and his community. He gives sacrificially of himself to the benefit his students in his classrooms and the athletes on his teams.  

“As an educator, he is truly a master of finding and drawing out the full potential of his students. He enthusiastically uses positive affirmation and words of encouragement to guide his students to not only excel in the classroom but also to understand their self-worth. His kind words and gentle spirit are uplifting and encouraging to all he meets.

“His positive approach to viewing life and all it has to offer, help those around him want to strive to do better. His impact on the school and community is widely known. He has touched the lives of many students as a teacher, coach, music director, choir directive, church leader and radio announcer.

“His love and enthusiasm for the Charles City Community School District is evident in all he does and all he says. He is honored for his high level of professionalism in the classroom, his sincerity in building relationships with all those he meets and his ability to reflect his core values consistently in every area of his life.”

Brad Ritter is being awarded for improving the culture and the climate within the school district.

He was nominated by Tait Arndt, who said:

“The reason I nominated Coach Ritter for the Star Award was because he goes above and beyond his duties as a teacher and a coach.

“Coach Ritter has been coaching me in traveling basketball and baseball since I was in third grade. He also got to coach me in eighth-grade basketball, which I always wanted him to do.

“Coach Ritter cares and wants the best for everyone he teaches and coaches. Sixth grade science and math were the best. He has very high expectations for all the athletes he teaches and coaches.

“I always had fun when Coach Ritter was coaching and teaching me. I always knew what was expected of me. Coach Ritter is so much more than a coach and teacher to me, he is like a father. I know I can go to Coach Ritter with any problem bad or good and help me in the best way possible. He might be disappointed, but Coach Ritter will always be there for me.

“Coach Ritter puts so much extra time into everything he does. Thank you Coach Ritter for being a father to me and for being a Star.”