Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce names Executive Director Deanna Strand David K. Bamford Educator of the Year.

Deanna Strand says when the board told her about the award, she thought, “No. Not me.  Anyone else in my organization is more deserving than me.  I’m not an educator.  I don’t work directly with students. My job is to clear the way for my staff so they can do the important work, the real work, the hard work. 

Like our office manager, who greets every nervous student with a smile, listens patiently as they struggle with limited English and gently escorts them to their class, despite the mountain of data entry she has to enter. 

Or our counselors who listen patiently to the fear and worry of an adult in their 50s–who just lost the only job they ever had and who now has to return to school, feeling out of place and unprepared believing they can’t do it.  Or any one of our teachers who understands that for adults, coming back to school is not just about learning; it’s about healing old wounds, overcoming self-doubt, and building confidence…”

“From the moment a student walks through the door, they’re met with respect. The past does not define them here.

Teachers and staff see resilience and potential. Instead of asking what went wrong? They ask, What do you need? How can I help?

So, how could the Board of directors have possibly chosen from among all of these amazing adult educators. Each one of them deserves recognition as Educator of the Year. So, on behalf of the dedicated, caring and hard-working staff of Dover Adult Learning Center, I humbly accept this award.”