Orinda Academy Teacher, Jeff Quittman, Wins Eukel Teacher Trust Award For Teaching Excellence

Oct. 25, 2010 - PRLog -- Orinda, Calif.—Orinda Academy, an independent, college prep school serving grades 7-12, announces that history teacher, Jeff Quittman, is a winner of a $10,000 grant
from the Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust.

Quittman, who has taught at Orinda Academy for 23 years, is one of three Contra Costa county teachers receiving the award from the community-based nonprofit organization, which honors teachers who show extraordinary commitment to students.

“Jeff is highly deserving of this award,” says Ron Graydon, founder and director of Orinda Academy. “Many of our students have learning differences and have often been told what they are unable to do. Jeff’s warmth, patience, passion, and encouragement have inspired students to understand all that they can achieve, enabling many students to excel.”

As a history teacher, Quittman’s philosophy is to provide a broadly humanistic approach to the ideas, events, peoples, and extraordinary individuals that have shaped our world. Students learn critical thinking skills while gaining a passion and appreciation for the rich variety of past and present experience, and the multiplicity of ways in which they connect to and illuminate one another.

The award will be presented to Quittman and two other recipients at the Eukel Teacher Trust’s 19th Anniversary Awards Dinner on November 18, 2010 at the Diablo Country Club. The event, which is open to the public, is hosted by food and wine critic, Narsai David. He will design a multi-course dinner prepared by chefs from the following restaurants: Diablo Country Club, The Door, The Peasant & The Pear, Prima Ristorante, Sasa, Va de Vi, Yankee Pier and the Contra Costa College Culinary Arts Program.


About The Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust
The Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust fosters excellence in education by providing monetary grants to outstanding teachers in Contra Costa County, California. Since 1992, the Eukel Teacher Trust has awarded more than $400,000 to 52 outstanding teachers.
Each year, the organization selects three teachers who have exhibited extraordinary commitment to their students from nominations submitted by principals, parents, colleagues and students. The award may be used in any manner that the recipient wishes.
For more information, go to: http://www.eukelteachertrust.org


For media information, contact:
Miriam Schaffer
Placemaking Group
510-835-7900 ext. 207
mschaffer@placemakinggroup.com

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About Orinda Academy
Orinda Academy (OA), located in San Francisco’s East Bay, provides a college prep education empowering students to reach their full potential. The school’s student to teacher ratio is 9-to-1, and teachers are skilled at adapting instruction to different learning styles. Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses are part of the curriculum. Dance, visual arts, drama, music, technology courses and travel experiences are also offered.
Students from Orinda Academy are confident, as well as academically and personally prepared for college. Graduates attend top public and private universities across the nation, as well as University of California and California state schools.
To see the school, attend an Open House at Orinda Academy either on Saturday, October 30, 2010 or Saturday, December 11, 2010 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
For more details, go to: http://www.orindaacademy.org.