Katie Afendoulis, an educator for 34 years, teaches third grade at Collins Elementary School in the Forest Hills Public Schools. She has been the cornerstone of a model teaching program in her district for several years. With the help of grant money received by Ms. Afendoulis, her team instituted literature-based teaching of reading and an integrated approach to the language arts curriculum called Friday Project, an activity that integrates writing, reading, listening, speaking, and cooperative learning. Ms. Afendoulis has since been in demand to speak about these innovations to teachers at conferences throughout the state. Ms. Afendoulis serves on both the Teacher Evaluation Committee and the superintendent's Teacher Advisory Council in her district.
