Meet the 2010 NCR Educators of the Year
Ms. Karen Davis of Pritchett- Surrattsville High School, Prince George’s County, MD, and Dr. Leelannee Malin of Largo High School, Prince George’s County, MD

2010 NCR Educators of the Year

Ms. Karen Davis-Pritchett- Surrattsville High School, Prince George’s County, MD

Ms. Karen Davis-Pritchett works diligently both inside and outside the classroom to expose Surrattsville High School’s students to the many post secondary opportunities available to them. She makes it seem realistic and possible for all students to achieve their goals.

Ms. Davis-Pritchett was instrumental in organizing, and enlisting the collaboration of fellow educators and of the school’s Peer Leaders in: a FAFSA Workshop for parents; college visits; the “Listen Up” program where Peer Leaders visited underclassman classrooms and spoke to them about the college application process; the “Don’t Blow It” campaign during which seniors were assisted to search for colleges, download college applications and receive help completing them, revise and create resumes, and draft personal statements during an after school help session; and College Summit Scholar of the Week, which recognizes students in the College Summit Class who are performing well with prizes, their picture in the main school lobby, and a spot on the school’s morning television program, “Surrattsville Live.”  She invited colleges and universities to the school to participate in Fantastic Fridays, mini college fairs held every other Friday. Ms. Davis-Pritchett also rallied her fellow educators at Surrattsville to participate in “Ask Me About It” Day, during which educators and staff showed their pride in their college achievements by writing about their college experiences, wearing their college shirts, and answering students’ questions.

The Principal of Surrattsville High says about Ms. Davis-Pritchett, “[She] has a great gift for meeting students where they are and taking them where she wants them to be…She is tireless in her efforts to create college going culture at Surrattsville High School.”

One of her students says, “[She] has made being a teacher not only a career, but part of her personal life. She treats us as young adults, talks to us as young adults, and when we grow up and become actual adults, we will be able to say, along with our parents, we had one of the best teachers guiding us along the way and helping to keep us on track and becoming better, more independent people.”

Dr. Leelannee Malin- Largo High School, Prince George’s County, MD

Dr. Leelannee Malin has been instrumental in building and sustaining college going culture at Largo High School in  her role as College Summit Coordinator. She has helped to develop and implement a number of initiatives aimed at preparing her students for college including: instituting College Corners in each classroom, consisting of information about the college preparatory process, SAT practice, college checklists, and the latest articles about college life; and College Fridays where students and staff wore college paraphernalia and spoke about the college experience and making smart choices. Under her direction, Largo held its first College Going Culture Month, which featured the 2^nd Annual College Application Week. During the week, students sent out over 300 hundred applications, and completed an additional 200. Dr. Malin believes that the best way to ensure that students succeed is through the team work and collaboration between staff and students, and ultimately through empowering students to be in control of their own destinies.

The Assistant Principal of Largo says of Dr. Malin, “Dr. Malin has a strength of character which is not based on temporary gratification, nor in the pursuit of short term goals, but rather her character is rooted in the understanding that lasting success comes from hard work.”

One of the many students who recommended Dr. Malin writes, “Dr. Malin is our lighthouse. Her words encourage us to be better than we are, better than what most expect of us, better than what the world expects of us.”