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Date: 4/18/2023
AGAWAM — Next month, five Agawam teachers will receive an esteemed award for their exceptional teaching skills.
Joseph Buonagurio, Megan LaCroix, Brooke Odunlami, Arthur Robichaud and Jessica Wall were among 48 Agawam teachers nominated for the 2023 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Awards.
They will receive their awards at a gala celebration the evening of May 3 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. The celebration will formally recognize them for their outstanding teaching as well as their impact on students, colleagues and schools.
This is the 20th year the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation and the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation have recognized teachers with this award to motivate teachers at all career stages to aspire to excel in the classroom. During the past two decades, more than 1,000 teachers from Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties have been honored with the award.
All awardees will receive $250 for personal use, an engraved plaque, three-month memberships at six regional YMCAs and the Jewish Community Center, a membership in WGBY public television, and access to thousands of digital education resources.
Additionally, they will receive tuition incentives and scholarships offered by seven major colleges and universities in the region. All 2023 winners also are invited to submit a project idea to win a Classroom Innovator Prize of $250. Up to 15 prizes will be awarded.
Joseph Buonagurio
Joseph Buonagurio teaches Honors Biology, Human Anatomy and Explorations in Healthcare Careers at the high school.
A positive experience working with students as a substitute teacher in Springfield’s former Cathedral High School convinced him teaching would be a rewarding career. He came to Agawam nearly 20 years ago, after teaching at Cathedral for three years.
Making connections with students and giving them tools for success after high school is one of the best things about teaching, said Buonagurio, who also works as a registered nurse at Baystate Medical Center.
“When I see former students now working as registered nurses, it definitely makes me proud. Hopefully, I contributed in a small way to help them on their journey,” he said.
The award is important to him, because he was nominated by his colleagues.
“To be recognized by them makes me feel everything I’m doing is worth all the effort and sacrifices — especially since COVID. Being chosen for this award is humbling, considering all the other amazing teachers at AHS,” he said.
Buonagurio will likely put the award money toward supplies for his classes.
Megan LaCroix
Megan LaCroix has been a special education teacher at Robinson Park School for six years, but teaching wasn’t what she planned for a career.
“I thought I would work for a nonprofit or government agency doing special education policy work,” she said.
LaCroix planned to teach for a few years and then transition to policy work. Instead, she continued teaching because she loved being in the classroom.
A proud teaching moment came last year when a student enjoyed a playdate with other children — and successfully used emotional regulation strategies LaCroix taught him for social situations.
“Having the same students for five years at a time means witnessing milestones and growth that most teaches only hear about when they leave their classrooms,” she said.
LaCroix said the excellence in teaching awards shows there are still organizations that recognize teaching as a craft.
“I feel honored to be included in a class of teachers that exemplify dedication to teaching as a craft.”
She and her husband, also a teacher, plan to use the award money to buy pool chairs to enjoy time with each other during their summer break.
Brooke Odunlami
Before Brooke Odunlami was hired nine years ago as a special education teacher at Agawam Junior High School, she had been a student teacher in a special education classroom at the school.
Odunlami decided to become a teacher after having several amazing teachers while growing up — especially her third-grade teacher, who influenced her career choice. She hopes to have the same impact on her students.
“I love the bond and trust I build with them. I think it’s an essential piece to supporting kids in the classroom,” said Odunlami. “Junior high years are such a complex time in many students’ lives — and I’m thankful to be able to be there for them.”
Odunlami said the award recognizes how much she loves teaching and her students. She is unsure about how she will use the award money.
Arthur Robichaud
This is Arthur Robichaud’s first year teaching fourth grade at Clark School. Previously he was a substitute teacher and a paraprofessional in Falmouth and Southwick while completing a five-year program at Westfield State University.
“I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was in elementary school,” said Robichaud, who was inspired by his own fourth-grade teacher. “I eventually went back to student teach in her classroom and learned the importance of patience and meeting the needs of every student.”
He said that between the joy of seeing students succeed and the enjoyment of working with kids, he can’t picture himself doing anything else.
“The best thing about teaching is watching a student’s face light up after working so hard to understand a difficult concept,” he said.
Robichaud said the award confirms that he’s doing a good job as a teacher: “It helps to remind me that I’ve selected the perfect career. And it only inspires me to continue doing my personal best every day.”
He plans to use some of his prize money for a nice dinner out, and put the rest toward his college loans.
Jessica Wall
After teaching in Holyoke for four years, Jessica Wall was hired last summer to teach special education at Doering School.
Her family always jokes that Wall pretended to be a teacher ever since she could talk. Wall said teaching is a career choice she makes every day she comes to school.
“I’m continually inspired and excited — and truly thankful — for the experiences and interactions I’ve had as a teacher and will have in the future,” she said.
Her favorite part of teaching is getting to know and work with her students.
“Kids are like intricate puzzles,” she said. “Figuring out what does and doesn’t work for them is fun. Seeing my students take pride in their accomplishments means the world to me.”
One of those accomplishments came recently when all her students made progress in their reading goals: “We had a huge celebration with students, parents and other teachers. I could tell how proud they were of themselves and each other.”
Wall said “it feels great” and “welcomed and supported in Agawam” to be noticed in a positive way with this award, especially being new to the district. She plans to use her prize money to pay down student loans.