Lockport Township High School Band Teacher & Bus Driver Receives Award
Lockport Township High School District 205 teacher Anna Mudroch was selected as this year’s recipient of the William and Mildred Jackson Teacher Recognition Award. New this year, the LTHS 205 Foundation awarded the first Golden Key Award to Robert Friebel, bus driver, for his daily commitment and dedication to LTHS D205.
For nearly seven years, Mudroch has served in the Visual and Performing Arts Department as a band teacher. The William and Mildred Jackson Teacher Recognition Award honors an educator who has exhibited special skills in the art and science of teaching. The award is sponsored by LTHS alumni Robert Carr and Jill Jackson Carr through the Give Something Back Foundation. The award is named after Mrs. Carr’s late parents, William Jackson, who taught science and coached golf and track at LTHS from 1958 to 1982, and Mildred Jackson, who provided music lessons for many children in the Lockport community.
Mudroch said on receiving the award, “I want to thank the students who nominated me for this award. They continue to help me grow as a teacher and, perhaps most importantly, as a human being. I am eternally grateful for their ongoing support and dedication to the band program at LTHS and consider myself fortunate to teach in a community that supports the arts. Additionally, I am so grateful to the LTHS Foundation for awarding me the William & Mildred Jackson Award, and I feel very honored- this honor has truly made my year!"
The William and Mildred Jackson Teacher Recognition Award was presented by her students as a surprise on May 28th, during the LTHS all-employee meeting at the close of the school year. The recipient of this annual award, which includes a certificate and cash prize, is chosen by a committee of administrators, teachers, and students. The award is facilitated by the LTHS Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to enriching the lives of all students, staff, and community members through extraordinary learning experiences and opportunities anchored in equity and inclusion.
Friebel has served in the Transportation Department as a bus driver for 21 years. The Golden Key Award was presented by the LTHS baseball team as a surprise at the May 28th LTHS all-employee meeting. The baseball team and coaches expressed their gratitude for having Friebel as their bus driver to all of their baseball games and shared a sense of pride and appreciation that Friebel would attend their home and away games on his days off.
“The LTHS Foundation decided to add the Golden Key Award this year as it became undeniably clear that our district has the most amazing bus drivers! With the need to extend bus routes and ask our bus drivers to work longer routes and longer hours - this team of amazing professionals stepped up to the plate and made sure all our students were able to come to school with as little disruption as possible. Our school district simply could not function without this wonderful group of people dedicated to our students. We always want our bus drivers to know they play a key role in our students' education - and we hope the Golden Key Award reminds them of this!” said Angela Adolf, Director of Development and Foundation.
To see a recap of the event, visit the LTHS Facebook & Instagram accounts.
