Comcast California, Comcast SportsNet Announce Winner of 2009 All-Star Teacher Award

Sun Jul 12, 2009 5:43pm EDT
 
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Jessica Schelegle of Sacred Heart School, Saratoga, CA Presented With $10,000
for Her School, 2009 All-Star Teacher Announced During Giants Pregame Live Show

Each All-Star Teacher Award Runner-Up to Receive $2,000 for Their School
SAN FRANCISCO--(Business Wire)--
Comcast California and Comcast SportsNet today announced that Jessica Schelegle
of Sacred Heart School in Saratoga, CA is the winner of the 2009 All-Star
Teacher Award and has been presented a $10,000 check for her school. Jack
O`Connell, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Steve White,
Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast California; Ted Griggs, Vice President
and General Manager, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area; and San Francisco Giants relief
pitcher Brian Wilson presented Schelegle the $10,000 check during today`s
Comcast SportsNet telecast of Giants Pregame Live, prior to the San Francisco
Giants/San Diego Padres game from AT&T Park. Schelegle also threw out the
ceremonial first pitch before the game. 

The All-Star Teacher Award was created to recognize middle and high school
teachers in Northern California who go above and beyond to inspire their
students and community. An esteemed panel of community leaders selected five
finalists based on four categories: Overall Commitment, Excellence in Teaching,
Rapport with Students, and Level of Distinction. The five finalists were Jessica
Schelegle of Sacred Heart School (Saratoga, CA); Robert Black of St. Patrick-St.
Vincent High School (Vallejo, CA); Jeremiah Ellison of Independence High School
(San Jose, CA); Emily Orologio of Frick Middle School (Oakland, CA); and Susan
Piekarski of Irvington High School (Fremont, CA). Each All-Star Teacher Award
runner-up will receive $2,000 for their school. 

Members of the public voted for the All-Star Teacher finalists from May 18 to
July 8 by voting online at www.csnbayarea.com and by filling out official ballot
forms in the San Francisco Chronicle. 

"We would like to congratulate Jessica Schelegle of Sacred Heart School in
Saratoga, California for her well deserved achievement of winning the
prestigious 2009 All-Star Teacher title," said State Superintendent O'Connell.
"Mrs. Schelegle exemplifies the commitment, loyalty, and service of the
thousands of dedicated and skilled teachers in California who make a difference
in their schools and communities, and especially in the lives of their students.
We would also like to celebrate the other finalists and all the award nominees
and thank them for their tireless efforts to inspire their students every day." 

"Education is key to the future of our children, our communities and our
workforce," said White. "At Comcast, we are committed to investing in our
children through scholarships, educational tools, and by honoring those
individuals, like Jessica Schelegle and the other finalists, who make a
difference to improve our educational systems and ensure that students have the
foundation necessary to succeed in school and beyond." 

"Comcast SportsNet and our partners are honored to name Jessica Schelegle the
2009 All-Star Teacherand to present her a $10,000 check for Sacred Heart
School," said Griggs. "Mrs. Schelegle has demonstrated tireless dedication and
loyalty to her school and community, and thanks to her commitment she has been
able to help shape the lives of her young students. We would also like to
recognize and thank the other four finalists and all the award nominees for
their contributions in their classrooms and in their communities." 

Jessica Schelegle teaches 7th grade reading, writing, spelling, and religion at
Sacred Heart School in Saratoga, CA. Mrs. Schelegle feels it is her mission to
help her students see themselves as empowered individuals who will eventually
become part of the larger community. This past school year, Mrs. Schelegle
developed her "212 degrees of effort" theme, which holds her students to her
high expectations and encourages every student to make a difference by giving
just a little bit more to every assignment. She also sends a strong message to
her students, organizing her classroom well and teaching efficiently, thus
demonstrating her own adoption of the high standards to which she holds her
students. 

Mrs. Schelegle has gained the trust and confidence of her students by
communicating with them in a very straightforward manner and by valuing their
opinions. She has also taught her students how important impressions are, and
she has made it clear why obtaining a quality education will get a person
further in life than not getting such an education. 

Mrs. Schelegle recently ran in a marathon in Florida, raising funds for charity.
She told her students about her training so they would understand the effort
required to participate in worthy causes. Mrs. Schelegle is not only an
inspiring teacher; she is a role model for those interested in working to help
less fortunate people. 

The elite panel of community leaders that selected the finalists consisted of
Doug Bartlett, Senior Marketing Director, BART; Rob Jaynes, Director of Fan
Development/The Sharks Foundation, San Jose Sharks; Detra Paige, Director of
Community Relations, Oakland Athletics; and Sue Petersen, Executive Director of
the Giants Community Fund, San Francisco Giants. 

Last February, Comcast SportsNet sent All-Star Teacher nomination forms to over
200 middle and high schools in Northern and Central California. Nominations for
the 2009 All-Star Teacher Award were received from students, parents,
principals, and teachers throughout the regions. 

In 2007, Michael Meneses of Presidio Middle School in San Francisco, CA was the
inaugural All-Star Teacher Award recipient. Last year, Allen Nakamura of Alameda
High School in Alameda, CA was named the 2008 All-Star Teacher. 

The All-Star Teacher Award is sponsored by Comcast SportsNet, Comcast
California, KNBR 680 AM, and the San Francisco Chronicle. 

About Comcast

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is the nation's
leading provider of entertainment, information and communication products and
services. With 24.1 million cable customers, 15.3 million high-speed Internet
customers, and 6.8 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is
principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable
systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television,
Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, ten sports
networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which
develops and operates Comcast's Internet businesses, including Comcast.net
(www.comcast.net). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor,
whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the
Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in
Philadelphia.

Comcast`s California Region, based in Livermore, California, serves more than
2.4 million customers in Northern and Central California.Comcast employs more
than 7,500 local residents across the region.

About Comcast SportsNet

Comcast Sports Group operates 10 sports networks that cover more than 2,400 live
sporting events annually and deliver comprehensive sports news and analysis to
40 million cable and satellite homes.Comcast Sports Group`s networks are:
Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet
Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast
SportsNet Northwest, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, SNY, The Mtn. - Mountain
West Sports Network, and CSS.These networks provide live game coverage of 18
professional teams, as well as college, minor league and other sports.For more
information, see ComcastSportsNet.com.



Comcast SportsNet
Jay dela Cruz, 415-296-8900
jdelacruz@comcastsportsnet.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009

 

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