Cape Chamber to honor Educators of the Year | News

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce Education Committee has named their 2012 Educators of the Year.

Lee Ann Norris, Stacy Stapleton, Marty Vines and Dr. John Kraemer will be honored at the Educator Appreciation Reception on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at The Venue in Cape Girardeau. The honorees will receive the prestigious Crystal Apple Award, a $500 check and a commemorative video at the banquet. Doors will open at 4 p.m. with the program starting at 4:30 p.m. The title sponsor for this event is Wood & Huston.

"The Educator of the Year Award is very significant to receive," said Angie Umfleet of Chap Arnold Insurance and Chairman of the Educator of the Year Selection Committee. "This is an award the business community selects and honors the hard work and dedication of educators in our community. On behalf of the members of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce we would like to thank all area educators for their service in educating our future workforce.”

Lee Ann Norris is a Special Services Teacher at Cape Central High School for the last seven years. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Southeast Missouri State University. She holds a certification in Exceptional Child Education with K-12 certification for the Trainable and Severely Handicapped.  Ms. Norris began her career in teaching at the State Schools for the Severely Handicapped in Missouri and taught for St. Louis Special School District for twelve years prior to coming to Central High School. Ms. Norris enjoys traveling with her husband to visit their six grown children and their families, volunteers at church activities and the choir. She resides in Cape Girardeau.

Stacy Stapleton is the third grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary for the last seven years. She holds a Master of Arts Degree from Nova Southeastern University, a Bachelor of Science Degree from Sterling College and an Associates Degree from Hutchinson Community College. Stapleton began her teaching career in 1992 at Lincoln Elementary School in Hays, Kan.

Stapleton enjoys many hobbies including reading, traveling, watching movies, gardening, running and volunteering for Greater Dimensions Ministries. She is also a Big with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Stapleton enjoys spending time with her husband and dogs.

Marty Vines is a Social Studies teacher at Cape Central High School for the past 11 years. He holds a Masters of Education from William Woods University, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education as well as Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice both from Southeast Missouri State University. Vines began his teaching career in 2001 at Scott County Central High School. 

Vines is a dad of two sons and enjoys spending a lot of time with family. He enjoys baseball, fishing, reading, watching movies, and taking family trips. He also coaches little league baseball.

The 2012 University Educator of the Year Dr. John C. Kraemer is a Professor in the Department of Biology in the College of Science and Mathematics at Southeast Missouri State University. Kraemer began teaching at Southeast Missouri State University in 1998 as an Assistant Professor. He serves as the University’s Director of The Center for Environmental Analysis.

Kraemer attained his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health Science from Indiana State University. He completed both his Master of Science in Community Health/Environmental Health/Individual Hygiene and his Doctorate in Urban Services/Health Sciences from Old Dominion University. His application and professional vitae denotes dozens of published articles, books and journals, as well as a significant amount of presentations, awards and grants funded.

A volunteer and consultant for the Cape Girardeau Public Health Center and the area's first responders as it relates to water quality measurement, human health risk assessment, indoor air quality and pediatric asthma, Dr. Kraemer helps in emergency preparedness and rapid response initiatives being implemented. Dr. Kraemer is also involved in the Missouri Institute for Community Health, which seeks to provide research and data that will affect national public health program implementation.

This is the 19th Annual Educator of the Year Awards and coordinated by the Education Committee of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. The nomination process for Educator of the Year began in May.  Nominees submitted their completed applications in mid-July. The applications are then reviewed and the selection committee, made up of volunteers from the Chamber membership, makes final review and selection.

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