Thursday, February 22, 2018

Adriana Poveromo ’14, a third-grade teacher at Forest Hills Global Elementary School, has been named New Hanover County Schools’ “Rookie of the Year.” Poveromo grew up in the New Hanover County School System and earned a degree in elementary education from UNCW’s Watson College of Education in 2014. The award was presented at a ceremony at the Downtown Wilmington Rotary Club on February 20.

New Hanover County Schools, in partnership with the Downtown Wilmington Rotary Club, created the Rookie of the Year Award in 2017 to honor outstanding NHCS professionals in their second and third years of teaching. Other finalists included two other UNCW alumni:

• Margaret Krulikas, Wilmington Early College High School
• Sydney Kong ’15, The International School at Gregory
• Katy Leonard ’15, Trask Middle School
• Ashley Anderson, Freeman School of Engineering

“We could not be prouder to hear that Adriana Poveromo has been selected as the NHCS Rookie of the Year, and that three of the five finalists are Watson College alumnae,” said Watson College Dean Van Dempsey. “Adriana is already a leader at this early point of her career, and she and all of the honorees remind us of the power and essential role that outstanding educators play in our schools and communities.”

NHCS principals nominated beginning teachers for the award in October, and each nominee submitted a paper about recruiting and retaining new teachers. Finalists were invited to address the Downtown Wilmington Rotary Club and share why they decided to pursue a career in education. Jenn Hatch Knight, assistant director of WCE’s Professional Development System Office, acted as UNCW’s representative on the selection committee that selected Poveromo for this honor.

“Her devotion to students and the teaching profession, the engaging experiences she creates every day in the classroom and the initiative she takes to really know the whole child and to support other beginning teachers were all factors in her selection for the top honor,” Knight said.

Poveromo received a plaque and a $1,000 gift card, presented by the Downtown Wilmington Rotary Club. The four other finalists received $500.

“Watson College prepared me with the proper resources, support and amazing experiences in the classroom that led me to where I am in my profession,” Poveromo said. “I am honored to be NHCS Rookie of the Year, and I am proud to be a Seahawk.”

Preparing students for post-graduation success is a key priority of UNCW’s Strategic Plan. The university’s Watson College of Education has developed innovative teaching techniques and resources within an experiential learning environment to produce some of the area’s most exemplary educators.

-- Susan Finley

#WCE