An old Turkish saying goes: "A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others."
Nothing brings this sentiment to life more than The Stars in Education annual competition, which recognises the achievements of teachers who have gone above and beyond their duties in the classroom. Often overlooked, they are truly the unsung heroes of South Africa, where education is particularly important in helping our children make the landscape of tomorrow shine with possibilities and change the world we live in.
It was Argo,a multi-media solutions provider, that realised that teachers were not being recognised enough for the invaluable role they played within their communities. Staying true to its brand values "to inform, involve and inspire", Argo decided to start the Stars in Education project in 2008. This year the competition is entering its fifth year and has grown from strength to strength. Not only has the number of entries expanded from 12 to more than 150, but the quality and variety of entries has been astonishing; ranging from school vegetable garden projects and children’s Christmas parties to soul buddies programmes.
"The Stars in Education campaign focuses on those who go the extra mile (on a non-curricular basis) in their communities by being inspirational role models to all around them, and changing lives through their actions," comments Lauren Bright, spokesperson from Argo for Stars in Education. "This campaign offers sponsors an opportunity to show their support for the key influencers of our future generation, by recognising the crucial role teachers play in shaping not only learning conditions, but attitudes of the heart and dreams for the future. Not only does this programme acknowledge the individual teacher, but it also creates a positive ripple effect throughout the communities it touches. Inspiring other teachers to become stars and the call to entry reminds communities that teachers are the most important resource we have."
As Stars in Education has flourished, this inspiring initiative has also attracted numerous sponsors, including Mindset Learn, Metro FM, MacMillan and the Transnet Foundation. Stars in Education is extremely proud to welcome their newest sponsors, Cell C and The Star newspaper, which are giving their full support to the project. These well-known and sustaining brands will lend even further credibility to the initiative. By aligning with this campaign, sponsors have shown their genuine commitment to a better future and have built brand affinity, as this project is founded on real stories of hope and inspiration.
Help recognise and build excellence in education by submitting your candidate for the Stars in Education Award. Entries close at the end of August and parents, teachers, students and the public are invited to enter community projects that are managed or have been started by exceptional teachers for the Stars in Education Awards 2012 by contacting Argo on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 021 865 2813.
For further information go to: www.ed.org.za
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