An Ingham County educator known for being invested in the wellbeing of her students has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.
The award winner, Monique Colizzi, is a Career and Technical Education teacher at the Wilson Talent Center. The center is part of the Ingham Intermediate School District.
The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence In Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.
Winners of the weekly award receive a $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.
Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations: WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 in Lansing, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Colizzi will air this evening.
Colizzi says her father inspired her to pursue a career in education.
“My dad was a respected leader in education and watching him in his role is what inspired me to become an educator. I hope that I can impact students’ lives in the same way he did. He was ionate about creating educational opportunities and supplying the workforce with talent. He was an advocate and believed in the power of partnerships and giving back. I try to emulate his vision and respect for students and the community alike.”
Colizzi was nominated for the award by a former student.
“Ms. Colizzi is exceptionally devoted to the wellbeing of her students. She loves what she teaches, and it shows in our test scores and overall feelings about insurance. She knows how to get us ready for the real world after high school and gives us the chance to prove that we can be successful and be leaders in our field of study. We all call her our second mom and it is true; she treats every student she has taught as if they were her own. Few people have that unique quality, and she does. Monique has pushed us and allowed us to flourish in ways I would not have dreamed only two years earlier.”
Colizzi earned a bachelor’s degree from Davenport University and a master’s degree from Western Michigan University. She has worked in education for 22 years, the last eight in her current position.
Excellence in Education award nominees are evaluated on the following criteria:
- Excellence – Their work consistently helps students and/or their schools or school districts advance to higher levels of academic achievement.
- Dedication – They consistently go above and beyond expectations to help students succeed.
- Inspiration – Their work inspires others around them to exceed expectations either academically or professionally.
- Leadership – They demonstrate clear leadership skills in their positions with their school or school districts.
- Effectiveness – The nominee’s work has clear and positive results on the educational advancement of students within the school or school district.
