(Photo Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Education Association)

(Reported by Danielle Smith of Keystone News Service)

(Harrisburg, PA) An elementary school educator from Pennsylvania has been named this year’s Education Support Professional of the Year, one of the highest honors in the field. The Pennsylvania State Education Association’s Dolores McCracken Education Support Award goes to Becky Marszalek, a paraprofessional at Avonworth Elementary School in Pittsburgh. For eighteen years, Marszalek says she has dedicated herself to assisting teachers and students in the classroom, providing the support needed for everyone to succeed. Marszalek recently attended the PSEA annual meeting in Philadelphia, where she addressed more than 500 members and was presented with the state award. This achievement now qualifies her to compete at the national level. In March, she will join other state winners in Louisville, Kentucky, vying for the National Education Support Professional of the Year award.