Blair High School Teachers Surprised With $5,000 to Support Journalism Program

Three Blair High School teachers were surprised with $5,000 from the National Education Association (NEA) and National PTA, and a visit from the Lt. Governor Aruna Miller to kick off National Teacher Appreciation Week on Monday. 

Jeremy Stelzner, Maria Eugenia Tanos and Michelle Elie oversee Blair’s nationally recognized and award winning student newspaper, Silver Chips. The teachers will use the $5,000 to pay for membership fees, student journalism publications, equipment such as computers, cameras, and reimbursements for reviews done by the publication. 

A group made up of NEA and PTA leaders, students, school leadership, Interim Superintendent Dr. Monique Felder and Lt. Gov. Miller entered the media center with a giant check in hand, balloons and flowers to deliver the surprise. 

NEA and the National PTA have teamed up to coordinate surprise visits to deliver much needed classroom supplies to teachers in Maryland, Colorado, and Kansas this week to show their appreciation for teachers. The group also held an after school reception for all teachers and staff at the school. 

Silver Chips is the only school newspaper in MCPS that features a Spanish language section, La Esquina Latina. In the journalism publications courses, students learn and develop school, community, state, and national news stories.  Students write, edit, design, advertise for sponsors, subscribers, and distribute the publications to the community and nationally.