Detroit Goodfellows Names Rhonda Raheem of Carstens Elementary Winner of Second Annual Goodfellow Teacher of the Year Contest!

DETROIT, June 13, 2011

The Detroit Goodfellows announced today the winner of the second annual Goodfellow Teacher of the Year contest — Rhonda Raheem, a third grade teacher at Carstens Elementary, in Detroit! Detroit Goodfellows board members surprised Raheem in her classroom with the news and presented her with a $200 gift card to buy classroom supplies. Raheem and her students were also treated to a celebratory classroom pizza party. Additionally, she will be acknowledged at the Detroit Goodfellows Annual Tribute Breakfast this fall. The Goodfellows Board of Directors selected the winning teacher from nominations by Detroit Public School students in grades 3 through 8 who designated their favorite teachers by answering the question: “Why is your teacher so special?” in 50 words or less. There were in excess of 300 submissions and Raheem received six nominations from her class of 23 students. The winning entry was submitted by Carstens Elementary third grader, Jenea Stroughter, age 9. In her entry, Jenea says Mrs. Raheem is special because she makes good decisions and shares lots of fun and love with her students. Raheem joined Carsten’s Elementary this school year as a third grade teacher. She has been a teacher for over nine years. Raheem is a resident of Eastpointe. The Detroit Goodfellows sponsors the Goodfellow Teacher of the Year contestto show its sincere appreciation and gratitude to Detroit Public School administrators, teachers and support staff who, each year, work so diligently to identify students in need of its holiday gift packages. The 97-year-old charity’s mission is to ensure that there is “No Kiddie Without a Christmas.” Founded in 1914, the Detroit Goodfellows is the original and oldest Goodfellow organization and is not affiliated with any other Goodfellow group. It also sponsors an emergency dental program for children, awards scholarships through Wayne State University, provides free shoes to children in need and helps send hundreds of needy children to camp each summer. For more information about the Goodfellow Teacher of the Year contest or the Detroit Goodfellow organization, please contact Sari Klok-Schneider at (586) 775-6139 or via email at sarigoodfellows@gmail.com. For more information, visit www.detroitgoodfellows.org.