HomepageAlumniCynthia L. (Babcock) Green ’94 Nomination Materials

Cynthia L. (Babcock) Green ’94 Nomination Materials

Dear Ursinus Alumni Awards Selection Committee:

Cynthia Babcock Green, ’94, is in her 25th year teaching English and language arts at Centerville Middle School in Lancaster, Pa. We are nominating Cynthia for the Henry P. and M. Page Laughlin Educator Award because we believe she embodies the belief that teaching is a vocation, not a profession. Her spirit for education has not wavered in her 25 years of teaching, nor has she stopped learning since earning her bachelor’s degree from Ursinus and her master’s degree in reading from Millersville University.

Cynthia works well as a team player with the confidence of a leader. She’s led her four-teacher teams in seventh and eighth grades; advises the school newspaper, magazine and news channel WCMS; coached the powderpuff team; and facilitates the Friends of Rachel Club.

Cynthia has judged the school’s spelling bees and chaperoned school dances. She helps plan and choreograph the teachers’ act at the annual end-of-year talent show, which draws rave reviews from students. When schools closed because of COVID-19, last year’s show went virtual, and Cynthia helped write and compile individual video submissions to “Can’t Teach This,” a spoof on MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This.”

The students and staff praise Cynthia. She is a mentor for several of Centerville Middle’s new teachers and she has won Teacher of the Quarter (an award no longer given) at least two times, including the first marking period of her first year in the classroom. Last year, she was selected as a Keystone Technology Innovator, nominated by the principal for the award that recognizes excellence in technology use.

Professional accolades aside, it’s Cynthia’s relationships with her students that make her an outstanding teacher. Students do not learn from teachers they do not like. Cynthia’s understanding of the developmental stages of pre-adolescents and adolescents allows her to move seamlessly between grades, among different ages and sexes. Cynthia makes a point to understand where the student is in educational, social and their familial settings, so she can individualize learning for each one of her students. She understands that stress, whether acute or chronic, plays a role in students learning. Therefore, she often gives up lunch and free periods to provide additional support, will check on those who are absent for extended periods and attends her students’ activities outside of school – theatrical and musical performances and athletic events.

Cynthia provides a safe, trusting and consistent environment that balances both learning and emotional support for her students. Cynthia has a vast resource of colleagues and friends who she uses to model asking for help. She models the importance of relationships and knowing when to ask for help. She does this with a smile on her face, no matter what the obstacle is.

COVID-19 has brought seemingly impossible burdens since March 2020, which have spurred Cynthia to work harder than ever to see her students succeed. Over the summer break, she served on the committee for the school reopening plan for the 2020-2021 school year and volunteered hours of her own time to help organize Morning Meetings with CMS Family Circles, which provide extended time in homerooms for teachers to make “meaningful, strong connections” to a circle of students.

As the 2020-2021 school year began in person, Cynthia created small hearts with hand-written inspirational messages for each locker. She is teaching students virtually and in person, wearing a face shield so her students can see her as she speaks and putting an extraordinary amount of time in to planning her lessons. And again, always facing the barriers with a welcoming smile.

We know Cynthia’s devotion to teaching and her students, but Bill Ackerman, her assistant principal at Centerville Middle, who sees her efforts day to day, month to month, year to year, has the most valuable insight: “To say Cynthia is a valuable member of our faculty is an understatement. She is what I picture a middle school teacher should be: she is first in line to put herself out there to do something silly if it means entertainment for the kids. She is also on every list of volunteers to help with activities and events that support the kids. And she is as vocal and active as anyone we have when it comes to brainstorming ideas for new ways to help our kids navigate the choppy waters of middle school. Have you caught onto the common threat? It it has anything to do with THE KIDS, you can count on Cynthia to be a major part of it!”

We, her friends and Ursinus classmates, wholeheartedly recommend Cynthia Babcock Green for the Henry P. and M. Page Laughlin Educator Award.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Erika Compton Butler, ’94

Melissa Chido Callen, ’94

Barbara Lampe Parker, ’94

Tammi L. Talese, ’94

Nicole Cicci Kazarian, ’94

Sara Jacobson, ’94

Jennifer Wolf Dornisch, ’94

Audra Boettcher-Myerberg, ’93

Jerry Licata, ’94

Stephanie Horling, ’95

Kelly Henderson Sakowski, ’94

John Correll, ’94

Kelly Hoopes Dellinger, ’95

Maureen Heisinger, ’93

Jean Anderson, ’94

Nick Baccino, ’95

Steve Postek, ’95

Terri Kauzlarich Skender, ’93

Susie Steele Leight, ‘ 94

Autumn (Boyer) Herbst, ’95

Jennifer Angelo Morris, ’93

Kara Raiguel, ’94

Leigh Dickinson Bridge, ’92

Kelly Crowers Guidry, ’94

Kevin Michael Smith, ‘ 96

Robyn Quinn, ’91

Leigh Woolston Karsch, ’94

Amanda Mishizen Wilhelm, ’96

Thomas Simkiss, ’95

Toni Wenger Tucker, ’92

Tara Walton Barker, ’93

Janene Paist Anzulewicz, ’94

Nadine Brubaker Miller, ’94

Karin Hoerrner Eckerson, ’92

Melanie Williams Powell, ’96

Nancy Costello Tighe, ’94

Melissa Rosenstiehl Silvers, ’93

Paul Drazba, ’94

Dawn Estelle, ’92

Melanie Matakonis, ’96

Lori Galletto, ’94

Michelle Perless Brown, ’94

Lisa Straw Hickman, ’93

Sharon McCann Gonsalves, ’92

Melissa Otto, ’93

Alina Morawski Marone, ’95

Rob Teti, ’95

Loreen Bloodgood, ’95

Jeannine Hutchinson, ’94

Heather Klinger Boyer, ’96

Alex Ugarte Jorgensen, ’96

Susan Whisler LaPlaunt, ’95

Kelly Brown Iacono, ’96

Maureen Fitzgerald, ’96

Marie Rojas Calderaro, ’93

Tom Ervin, ’94

Suzanne Rojas Padula, ’96

Andrew Bordic, ’93

Shannon Davis O’Brien, ’94

Betsy Laskowski, ’93

Joy O’Grady, ’94

Dan Fishman, ’95

Megan Chmiel Patruno, ’92

Amy Yeakel, ’93

Heidi Fenatermcher, ’94

Harley David Rubin, ’94

Regan McCann Everett, ’95

Ellen Cosgrove Labrecque, ’95,

Jen Johnson, ’96

Patty Febo Drew, ’94

Alumni Home