Joyce Gooder Receives 2010 Gikas Award - Presented to top support staff person in Michigan Department of Education

April 13, 2010
 
LANSING - The State Board of Education on Tuesday presented Joyce Gooder with the 2010 Stella Gikas Professional Support Staff Excellence Award.  The award, first presented in 1991, is given annually to an outstanding support person in the Michigan Department of Education.
 
Gooder, a secretary in the department's Office of Early Childhood Education and Family Services, has been employed at the department for over 20 years.
 
State Board of Education President Kathleen N. Straus presented Gooder with the gold apple Gikas Award and certificate at the State Board of Education's monthly meeting.
 
The Stella Gikas Award is named after a long-time State Board of Education support staff person and is given to an employee who provides leadership to others, outstanding service to education, dedication to excellence, and maintains the highest professional standards.

Relaying some of the statements submitted with the nomination of Gooder for the award, Straus stated, "She continuously demonstrates her stellar professional work ethic on a daily basis," Straus noted. "Ms. Gooder not only works hard displaying qualities of a highly-functioning, dedicated worker, but also models those qualities to other staff."

Gooder, a resident of DeWitt, thanked the State Board of Education and those she has worked with at the Department of Education.  "This is quite an honor, considering the caliber of staff here at the department," she said. "This is a real honor."
 
Joyce and her husband Phil, are parents to two daughters, Angie and Erin.