About UsMartha S. Baskin Teacher of the Year Award
Outstanding Elementary School Education Teacher
This award is given in memory of Martha Shirley Baskin by her husband, Thomas P. Baskin, Jr. and her sons, Thomas P. Baskin, III and John Masters Baskin, to the outstanding elementary education teacher of the year in the Lewiston School District.
Mrs. Baskin, a native of Anderson, South Carolina, was an honor graduate of Furman University in 1940 and she did subsequent graduate studies at the University of North Carolina and Emory University. With the exception of a tour of duty with the American Red Cross in 1943-33, her entire professional career was spent teaching elementary school. Mrs. Baskin taught for fifteen years in South Carolina before she and her husband came to Lewiston in February of 1955 for a temporary stay that ended up lasting forty-six years. In Lewiston, Mrs. Baskin taught for a total of twenty years at Whitman and McSorley Schools.
Mrs. Baskin was very interested in trying new teaching methods in the classroom. She helped introduce the Communication Skills Through Authorship (CSTA) reading program at McSorley. The only unintended result of her teaching was that many first graders surprised their parents by reading with a southern accent! Mrs. Baskin was an outstanding teacher dedicated to helping young children enjoy school while learning fundamental skills to equip them for a lifetime of learning.
The Martha S. Baskin Outstanding Elementary Educator Award carries a $1,000 cash prize to the teacher honored. The recipient of the award for 2010 was Andrea Wagner (we will provide more info and a picture of her)
Nomination Form
Any person may nominate an elementary teacher currently employed by the Lewiston School District for this award. Applications are available at the L.I.F.E. office or click here for a pdf.
