Evening Drive-In Ceremony Honored Distinguished Alumni of Broward County Public Schools
A 2021 NFL Hall of Fame legend, 2021 Grammy-nominated recording artists and a commander and captain in the United States Coast Guard were among the distinguished Broward County high school alumni who were honored by Broward Education Foundation during thePublix Super Markets Charities2020 “Hall of Fame Awards” presented byMemorial Healthcare System. The first-ever drive-in award ceremony was held the evening of Saturday, December 5 atWilliam T. McFatter Technical College and High Schoolin Davie.
Broward Education Foundation reimagined the annual event, taking extra precautions and factoring in safety protocols and social distancing measures, to fittingly salute this year’s honorees. Guests enjoyed the evening’s program from their cars in the high school’s expansive parking lot watching the awards onstage and on four large LED screens. Award presentations were interspersed with performances by the McArthur High Marching Band, Nova High Titan Cheer Team, Walker Elementary TurnAround Arts Dancers and Coral Springs High Senior and extraordinary vocalist Carynna Joseph. Guests dined on boxed lite bites and beverages and applauded each Hall of Fame recipient and performance with celebratory honks and cheers.
The 2020 Broward Education FoundationHall of Fame honorees include:
Receiving theJM Family Enterprises, Inc.Bravo Awardfor their positive impact on the lives of thousands of children were two talented Dillard High School graduates, Grammy-nominated, national recording artists and co-founders of the group Black Violin,Wil Baptiste, class of 2000 andKevin Marcus Sylvester, class of 1999.
Recipients of theBank of AmericaCommunity Achievement Awardfor their contributions to the community were:
Isaac Bruce,former professional football player and member of the NFL Hall of Fame, owner of Bruce Zone and DillardHigh School graduate, class of 1990
Jo-Ann F. Burdian, Sector Commander and Captain of the Port, United States Coast Guard, Sector Miami and Piper High School graduate, class of 1993
Marty Kiar,Broward County Property Appraiser and Western High School graduate, class of 1995
The three honorees who received theOffice DepotEducation Achievement Awardfor their dedication to a career in public education were:
Amy DeCelle, medical magnet coordinator at Blanche Ely High School and graduate of Piper High School, class of 1993
Mark Howard, principal of Hallandale Magnet High School and graduate of Nova High School, class of 1990
Carletha B. Shaw-Rolle, Ph.D.,educator andcadre director for Broward County PublicSchoolsand graduate ofSouth PlantationHigh School, class of 1985
“This year has been anything but ordinary but that did not take away from the extraordinary Broward County public school alumni who were honored at this year’s Hall of Fame Awards. We are inspired by their leadership, passion and commitment to education and community,” said Tim Curtin, Broward Education Foundation Board Chair.
“Our first-ever drive-in ceremony was a unanimous success,” said Shea Ciriago, executive director of Broward Education Foundation. “Our team went above and beyond, and executed a safe, flawless and festive event. We want to give a heartfelt thanks to our generous sponsors for their unwavering support. Our warmestcongratulations to these eight truly deserving Broward Public Schools alumni as we welcome them into our Hall of Fame.”
Reminiscent of California’s Hollywood Walk of Fame, Broward’s distinguished alumni are honored with large engraved granite stars on the BrightStar Credit Union“Walk of Fame”permanently located at the Broward County Public Schools District Office, 600 S.E. Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Honorees also receive a hand-crafted desktop replica of their star.
In addition to Publix Super Markets Charities, Memorial Healthcare System, BrightStar Credit Union and Pirtle Construction, sponsors included JM Family Enterprises, Inc., Office Depot, Broward Teachers Union, Broward Health, Humana, Jersey College, PNC and Wells Fargo.
To learn more about Broward Education Foundation, please visitbrowardedfoundation.org, call 754-321-2030 or e-mailBEFInfo@browardschools.
About Broward Education Foundation:
Broward Education Foundation is the only 501(c)3 charitable organization solely dedicated to supporting Broward County Public Schools and serves as a catalyst for educational excellence by providing teacher grants to fund development of innovative curriculum that advances Pre K-12 achievement; vitally needed school supplies for Title I school students, and scholarships for qualified high school seniors. Established in 1983, the non-profit Broward Education Foundation contributes more than $3 million to Broward County Public Schools annually.
In 2018, responding to the Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy, Broward Education Foundation initiated a GoFundMe campaign, established the official Stoneman Douglas Victims’ Fund and raised $10.5M for victims’ families, survivors and those impacted. Broward Education Foundation isprovenagile, adept and responsive to shifting needs in education and our community. For more information, visit browardedfoundation.org,email BEFInfo@browardschools.
