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Collegiate Honors Neil Etheridge for Excellence

8/24/2021

Collegiate is happy to honor members of our faculty and staff for their dedication and passion. This year's Lower School Hamill Family Endowment Award is presented to Neil Etheridge.

In 2016, Bill and Susan Hamill and their daughters Blake '98 and Carter '01 created the Hamill Family Endowment in appreciation for the excellent teaching their daughters received while at Collegiate. The endowment recognizes and rewards outstanding full-time teachers who have 15 years or less of experience, with a preference for teachers early in their career. The endowment also rewards specific attributes in these young teachers who demonstrate faithful commitment to the teacher-coach-mentor model and demonstrate student success in inspiring student attainment in the areas of critical thinking and problem-solving, accessing and analyzing information and effective oral, written, multimedia communication and more. The Hamills recognize great mentors can come in many forms, and therefore this award is not limited to teachers who are solely classroom instructors.

This 2021 Hamill Award recipient is the consummate collaborative professional. This person will step-in to support a colleague or a child in time of need and does so with a calm demeanor. He has an amazing connection with students of all ages! No matter the situation, this person is unflappable and continues to look for ways to make things happen. This is a wonderful gift!

This person wears many hats over the course of the year; manager, teacher, coach, tutor, mentor, all while keeping the best interest of the students in the forefront of his thinking. Every day of the year our honoree is kind and compassionate, thoughtful and planful, and provides a smile whenever he is encountered on campus. It has been said that even a conversation with this person “makes you happy and feel better about your day”.

With genuine care, our award recipient displays the value of teamwork, leadership and good sportsmanship. He is committed to doing his best and expects the best of those around him. This person also supports other colleagues in wonderful ways; seeking to provide opportunities for growth and development that may arise. Always making things better in Quest and looking for ways to help others, he is a role model and sets the bar high. Personally, professionally and socially he gives his best to Collegiate as he supports Cougars young and old, working long hours and during times when others are not at school. His humility and graciousness are a blessing to all who know him. It is a true pleasure to work with him. Please join me in congratulating this year’s Lower School Hamill Award winner, Neil Etheridge.

Comments made by Debbie Miller

At the Opening of School Meeting, August 2021.

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