Formally an education consultant for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), W. Cecil Short was also a principal of Wirt Middle School in Riverdale, where he implemented such innovations as the Hispanic Community Outreach Program, through which he met with parents who had limited English skills; the Book Talk program, an extracurricular sharing of book reading by both students and teachers; the Helping Hand of Hope, through which the community provides assistance for at-risk students; and the VIP Program for the recognition of parents who play an active role in their children's education. Previously, Short was principal of Oxon Hill High School in Oxon Hill. "Teaching is not only what I do; it is who I am," he said. His innovations at Oxon Hill included a transition program for ninth-grade students to smooth their entry into high school. One of Short's goals was the development of projects that would "motivate African-American young men to achieve educational excellence, with an emphasis on positive self-esteem."
University of Maryland - Eastern Shore, B.A.
