Teacher wins national VFW award

Photo courtesy of Soo Keller Fairlawn Elementary Magnet School, Port St. Lucie, teacher Shirley Helton recently received the Veterans of Foreign Wars Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Teacher of the Year award. From left are Kevin Perry, assistant superintendent, St. Lucie School District; Lydia Martin, executive director of schools; Jennifer Hedeen, principal, Fairlawn Elementary; T. Wayne Markham, commander, VFW Florida; Shirley Helton; Daniel Duffy, National VFW Council Administration; Genelle Yost, superintendent, St. Lucie School District; and Jack Willis, VFW District 11 commander.

Photo courtesy of Soo Keller
Fairlawn Elementary Magnet School, Port St. Lucie, teacher Shirley Helton recently received the Veterans of Foreign Wars Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Teacher of the Year award. From left are Kevin Perry, assistant superintendent, St. Lucie School District; Lydia Martin, executive director of schools; Jennifer Hedeen, principal, Fairlawn Elementary; T. Wayne Markham,
commander, VFW Florida; Shirley Helton; Daniel Duffy, National VFW Council Administration; Genelle Yost, superintendent, St. Lucie School District; and Jack Willis, VFW District 11 commander.

Mary Kemper
Staff Writer
When an official from the national Veterans of Foreign Wars called fifth-grade teacher Shirley Helton to tell her she’d won a prestigious award, “I think I screamed,” she said, laughing.
Helton retired from teaching at Fairlawn Elementary Magnet School in Port St. Lucie this year, but not before being selected for the VFW Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Teacher of the Year Award for 2013-2014.

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