Project Excellence

Stephanie Strong and Stephanie Credit have been named as Franklin City Schools' 2020 Project Excellence winners. 

Project Excellence, which operates under the Area Progress Council of Warren County, annually recognizes two teachers from each of Warren County’s eight school districts, plus the Warren County Career Center, the Greater Ohio Virtual School, and the Warren County Educational Service Center. They’re normally honored at a spring banquet in May; that’s been postponed until fall. Teachers are nominated by peers, parents, and students. Project Excellence was established in 1988 to honor excellence in teaching throughout Warren County; since its beginning, it’s honored over 650 educators. 

Stephanie Credit has spent her entire 27-year career at FCS, teaching 10 years at Anthony Wayne and 17 at FJHS, where she teaches reading. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from Cumberland College and her Master’s from Wright State. She said she’s honored to receive the Project Excellence Award.

She said, “The most enjoyable part of teaching is the relationships that I have built over the years. When students come back to see you and tell you that you made a difference in their lives, there is no greater feeling.”

Credit noted that memorable moments in her career include the annual 8th grade Washington, D.C. trip. She said that it’s an amazing experience to watch students and see their reactions to the wonderful places that the group visits. She also added that there is no greater feeling than when a student has an “a-ha” moment in class.

“I always knew I wanted to be a teacher,” said Credit, and added that she is so lucky “to have spent [her] entire career” with Franklin City Schools. “All of the teachers in our district work tirelessly and do everything in their power to ensure success for our students,: and added that she’d “like to thank Dr Sander and Robyn Donisi for always supporting me and for always doing what is best for our students.”

Stephanie Strong has been with FCS for six years, where she taught elementary art at Hunter and one class at Gerke. She moved to FHS where she teaches Art 1, Painting and Drawing, Crafts, and Ceramics. She attended The Ohio State University for a Bachelor’s of Art Education.

She said the most enjoyable part of teaching is “the passion students have for art at all ages. [Art] is a class where I get to see students learn to create projects they love or that they never thought they could do on their own. I love watching them learn to master a skill and see the pride they have in themselves after all their hard work.”

Strong noted several memorable moments from her teaching career. “When I taught elementary, 2nd grade students at Hunter made love bugs out of clay. It wasn’t anything above and beyond, but to watch them have so much fun making their own neon colored bugs out of clay and pipe cleaners still leaves me with happy memories.” She added, “At the high school, thanks to a SPARK Grant, I was able to take my ceramics class on a field trip to Queen City Clay in Cincinnati, where they were able to learn to use the pottery wheel from experts and come home with several handmade pieces of pottery.”

Strong said, “It is an honor to be named a Project Excellence winner. I work alongside some amazingly talented and caring teachers who all deserve the same recognition, so it is a privilege to be recognized.”

She also said, “Thank you so much to everyone who makes the Project Excellence award possible. Good teachers are always striving to be better, often thinking they aren’t doing enough, so to have an award that recognizes their hard work and dedication is welcome and much appreciated.”