Two PEP Educators Named Teacher of the Year by CMBA

On April 11, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA) announced they will honor two PEP educators with their 3Rs Teacher of the Year award: Christine Zanoni, the agency’s director of curriculum and instruction and William Brown, a teacher-counselor at PEP Eastwood.

This year, Ms. Zanoni worked with the CMBA to bring new programming to PEP Eastwood and PEP Greenview. The program, known as the 3Rs, which stands for rights, responsibilities and realities, connects volunteer lawyers, judges, law students and paralegals with high school students in Cleveland and East Cleveland City Schools. Learning about law through this program aligned with Ohio Learning Standards and provided an opportunity for students to understand modern realities.

Mr. Brown’s class participated in the 3Rs program. His students enjoyed the format of the class, which he said was engaging and felt like a college seminar. In addition, he explained the lessons taught through this program were particularly relevant to his students. “Our high school is mostly 17- to 18- year old Black males. It’s important for them to be a part of this program so they know their rights.”

In the teacher of the year award announcement, the CMBA stated, “Without advocates and teachers like you, the CMBA would not be able to bring this unique learning experience to Northeast Ohio residents.” An invitation-only event will be held to honor the awardees in May.

See the CMBA announcement here. To learn more about Positive Education Program, visit our website.