Award of Excellence

Mary-Liz Eshbach has been a teacher for 15 years.  She taught in San Francisco for 10 years before returning to live and work in Berks County.  She has been teaching in the Reading School District since 2010 as an English, Video, and Gifted teacher at Reading High School and Northeast Middle School.  In early 2011, in reaction to the violent deaths of four Reading School District youth, Mary-Liz formed Reading High School’s Project Peace, a student-led violence and drug prevention group.  With the help of grants from St. Joseph’s Hospital and the Community Prevention Partnership, Project Peace is now in six Reading School District schools with more 150 student members.  Mary-Liz serves as the Coordinator of Project Peace for all schools and is also the Northeast Middle School Advisor.  

 

Christine Galantuomo is originally from Schuylkill County and graduated from Alvernia College with a degree in Mathematics.. She has  been married for 17 years and has four beautiful children ages 18, 15, 13, and 8. She and her family love spending time at the beach. She was a stay -at-home mom before returning to school to get her elementary education certificate/middle school math cert. This is her 7th year teaching, all  of which have been at Southwest Middle School. She recently applied to the graduate/principal certification program at Alvernia University, and she  looks forward to continuing her career in the Reading School District. 

 

Autumn Gilmore is a graduate of Bloomsburg University with a double major in Elementary and Special Education.  She earned her English as a Second Language certification from Immaculata University and a Masters in Education with Reading Specialist Certification from Cabrini College.  She was hired by the Reading School District in 2008 as a 5th grade teacher at Millmont Elementary School and transferred to 10th and Penn Elementary School. Mrs. Gilmore co-facilitates Student Council and Cub Scouts. Autumn is a volunteer with the Gilmore Henne Community Fund and has assisted with the revitalization and building of several playgrounds throughout Berks County.  She also assists with the free summer programming that is offered to the neighborhood children at the playgrounds within Reading when needed.  Autumn is on the Board of Directors for Miss Teen Reading, PA, a scholarship pageant founded in 2013 by Dr. Noahleen Betts.  The pageant offers scholarships to females in Reading School District in grades 9-12.  Mrs. Gilmore is happily married to Coach Peter Gilmore and enjoys supporting RHS athletics.  She also enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, hiking with her dogs, gardening, cooking, reading, and photography. 

 

Silbia Huertas has worked as an ELA Assistant in Reading School District since 1997. A mother of five, she is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Urban Education at Alvernia University and plans to become a certified teacher in the future.  She earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree from Lancaster Bible College and an Associate Degree from Harcum College. She was the first person in her family to ever attend college. She is also active in her church community and enjoys spending time with her three grandchildren. Her motto is “Transforming lives through encouragement and education.”

 

Elizabeth Stamm realized she loved the education profession about 30 years ago when she worked for a company teaching health and safety courses to adults. She started working at 10th and Penn in 1997 as a Reading Paraprofessional and has been there ever since. She does small group instruction and remediation with kindergarten through fifth grade students. In addition, she is privileged to help organize the Student Council at our school. This group of exceptional third, fourth and fifth graders serve their school and community by organizing numerous events throughout the year. She has been blessed to work with wonderful people at 10th and Penn, and she knows of no other job where one can do what they love and serve others.