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Diedrichs Named Volusia County Teacher of the Year By Mary Anne Rogers
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Diedrichs ’92, M.Ed. ’00 has been named Volusia County Teacher of the Year for 2017. She is the third Stetson alumnus to earn that distinction in the past four years. Sharing her passion for reading is the gift that Diedrichs gives to each of her fourth-grade students every day at Blue Lake Elementary School. Diedrichs is known for handing out books to children during the annual DeLand Christmas Parade. Throughout the year, she gathers literature from book fairs through the DaVinci Club, the obin
after-school program she created. She also shares her teaching through an online blog. Diedrichs earned her undergraduate degree in education from Stetson in 1992 and started her teaching career at Blue Lake Elementary School that same year. After earning her graduate degree in education from Stetson in 2000, she taught school in Missouri and as an adjunct professor at Stetson. Diedrichs returned to Blue Lake Elementary in 2010. Diedrichs joins an impressive group of Stetson education
majors who have won this award, which is co-sponsored by Volusia County and the FUTURES Foundation. Over the past four years, a total of 34 nominees for the award have been graduates of Stetson including these winners: • 2017 — Robin Marie Diedrichs ’92, M.Ed. ’00, Blue Lake Elementary, fourth grade; • 2015 — Grace Kellermeier ’03, New Smyrna Beach High, French/AP French; • 2014 — Emily Edwards ’09, Starke Elementary, fourth grade.
Robin Diedrichs
Alumnae Anderson, McEwen Honored by Florida Bar B
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Anderson J.D. ’02 received a Florida Bar Pro Bono Award for her work on behalf of poor and indigent clients during a ceremony at the Florida Supreme Court. United States Bankruptcy Judge Catherine Peek McEwen ’82 also was honored as the first recipient of the Chief Justice’s Distinguished Federal Judicial Service Award. Anderson, who was recognized in the 7th Judicial Circuit, is an attorney with AndersonGlenn LLP in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., representing children who have been abused ennifer
or neglected. Anderson dedicated hundreds of hours to the case of a child who was abused by her father. Today, with Anderson’s help, that child has grown into a talented musician at a school for the arts in Jacksonville. The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Awards were established in 1981 to encourage lawyers to volunteer free legal services to the poor by recognizing lawyers who make public-service commitments. The awards recognize pro bono service in each of Florida’s 20 judicial circuits as well as service by a
Florida Bar member practicing outside the state. The Florida Supreme Court ceremony also recognized the winners of the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award, as well as awards in the categories of Distinguished Judicial Service, Distinguished Federal Judicial Service, Law Firm Commendation, Voluntary Bar Association and Young Lawyers Division. According to the Florida Bar, Florida lawyers dedicated more than 1.7 million hours of pro bono service to people in need over a 12-month period.
Jennifer Anderson
STETSON
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