Patty Nilsson, a renowned digital film instructor at The Guthrie Center, will be honored as one of six Crystal Award winners during an annual gala and fund-raising event sponsored by the Spring Branch Education Foundation and the Houston Chronicle. The award recognizes teachers who make a difference in the lives of today’s students.
The Crystal Awards Celebration, which began in 1993, will honor six regional educators as “Outstanding Teacher” during a gala that begins at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 29, at the Westin Oaks Hotel. The Houston Chronicle selected winners from more than 1,600 private and public school nominations submitted by educators in Harris and seven other Gulf Coast-area counties.
A University of Houston graduate, Patty Nilsson has taught more than 10 years in Spring Branch ISD. A co-leader in The Guthrie Center’s award-winning digital film department, Nilsson has won numerous awards in the past several years, including SBISD Secondary Teacher of the Year, West Houston Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year, and district Career & Technology Teacher of the Year.
In addition, she has earned the Christa McAuliffe Exemplary Teacher and Elizabeth Brand Teacher Excellence recognitions. For the past five years, she has also been named an Apple Distinguished Educator.
Patty teaches film classes for dual credit through the Houston Community College System. Many of her students have earned scholarships through competitions, such as the Culture Shapers program competition, and many also go on to study film at college and universities. For the past six years, she has taken a student team to the Sundance Film Festival, held each winter in Park City, Utah.
Active in district and community affairs, she is also the executive director and a founder of Island Films and the Island Film Festival, a nonprofit group dedicated to promoting the works of young filmmakers and digital media artists. She has also earned numerous grants and awards for her teaching and ongoing projects.
Other 2008 Crystal Award winners are Dr. Ollie Davis of Houston ISD, Donna Stone and Kathalene Jernigan of Clear Creek ISD, Jane Lamb of Klein ISD and Anne-Marie Zehawi of The Regis School.
For details on the Crystal Awards Celebration or to buy tickets, please call 713-365-4781.