Governor’s Humanities Awards Presentation Honors Outstanding Missourians

by Anna Marie Wingron, MHC Development Director

Each year the Governor of Missouri and the Missouri Humanities Council celebrate the accomplishments of people who have made exceptional contributions to the understanding of Missouri, its people and its stories. These awards are based on nominations from colleagues, students, associates and the general public for outstanding contributions to the humanities in Missouri. The 2009 Governor’s Humanities Awards honored six Missourians for their exemplary community and literary achievements on May 12 at Stephens College in Columbia.

“The Missouri Humanities Council commends the honorees for their commitment to making the humanities meaningful and accessible to the people of Missouri,” said Geoff Giglierano, the Council’s Executive Director. “Their work inspires all of us to apply ourselves in finding fresh and exciting ways to bring the humanities to broader, more diverse audiences.”

Jerry Craig, Salem; Patti Naeger, Ste. Genevieve; Mark Abbott, Ph.D., St. Louis; accepting for Billyo O’Donnell were his parents – Alice and Edward O’Donnell, St. Louis; Greg Olson, Columbia; Karen Glines, St. Louis

Three individuals were honored with the Exemplary Community Achievement Award which recognizes an individual or group that has made a special contribution to a community’s understanding of and support for humanities-related endeavors on the local or state level. They include:

  • Patti Naeger of Ste. Genevieve for her work with the children’s heritage chorus, Les Petits Chanteurs. Naeger has been involved with the chorus since its beginning in 1988. The chorus, which ranges in age from preschoolers to high school seniors, primarily sings in French accompanied by live music performed by Naeger. The chorus performs at various festivals and special occasions.
  • Jerry Craig of Salem for his work to develop the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center. Craig has helped the Center evolve into a community resource providing hands-on workshops and free exhibits that celebrate the heritage and culture of the Ozark region. Craig continues to guide the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center as the managing director.
  • Mark Abbott, Ph.D., of Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis for his contribution to understanding the unique qualities of various neighborhoods in the city. He has taught at Harris-Stowe State University for 22 years, and is also a consultant in community planning. Abbott’s research focuses on the history of St. Louis, the history of urban planning and the factors that contribute to sustainable neighborhoods.

Three individuals were honored with the Distinguished Literary Achievement Award, which recognizes an individual or group whose book or publication has increased understanding and appreciation of Missouri’s history and culture. They include:

  • Karen Glines and Billyo O’Donnell of St. Louis for their book, Painting Missouri: The Counties en Plein Air. For seven years, O’Donnell traveled across the state painting scenes in all of the 114 counties of Missouri and the city of St. Louis for the book. Glines wrote essays that explored the rich histories of the counties and St. Louis to accompany each of the paintings.
  • Greg Olson of Columbia, Curator of Exhibits and Special Projects at the Missouri State Archives, for his book, The Ioway in Missouri, part of the Missouri Heritage Readers series of the University of Missouri Press. Olson has no personal connection to the Ioway Native American tribe he writes about, but feels a geographical connection. Olson grew up in Iowa, and later moved to Missouri, where he has lived for more than 20 years. The Ioway people, for whom Iowa is named, also have a rich history in both states.

Missouri Humanities Council Chairman Jim Tanner served as Master of Ceremonies for the presentation of the awards.  Afterward, Deborah Luchenbill, state coordinator of National History Day in Missouri, recognized the Missouri students who made it to the final rounds of the 2009 National History Day competition.

Luchenbill described National History Day in Missouri, a program that encourages young people to explore history and teaches them to understand historical issues, ideas, people and events. Participants conduct in-depth research on individual topics related to an annual theme and present their findings through an exhibit, performance, documentary, website or research paper. More than 2,600 Missouri students in grades 6-12 participated in local and regional competitions throughout the state, with over 500 advancing to the state contest at the University of Missouri-Columbia in April.

In June 2009, Missouri’s State History Day winners represented the state as delegates to the National History Day event, competing against students from around the country at the University of Maryland, College Park.  Ten students made it to the finals: Mark Castera with teacher Christopher Elmore from Rockhurst High School in Kansas City; Bradley Dice and Emily Duncan with teacher Inga Nordstrom-Kelly from Liberty Junior High School in Liberty; Brittany Golden and Andrew Schesser with teacher Kathleen Swift from Carthage High School in Carthage; Rachel Hauser with teacher Bob Stevens from Holy Infant School in Ballwin; Ashwath Kumar with teacher Tom Prater from Smithton Middle School in Columbia; Kassidy Murphy with teachers Michael Murphy and Melanie Tipton from Risco R-II Schools in Risco; Eric Peer with home school teacher Julie Peer of Carthage; and Chi Zeng with teacher Janet Baldwin from Clayton High School in Clayton. MHC is proud to salute the accomplishments of these students and their teachers and happy for their participation in the Governor’s Humanities Awards event.

2009 History Day Awardees

Mark Castera, Rockhurst High School, Kansas City; Rachel Hauser, Holy Infant School, Ballwin; Emily Duncan, Liberty Junior High School, Liberty; Deborah Luchenbill, National History Day Missouri State Coordinator

The 2009 Governor’s Humanities Awards ceremony was held in Columbia at Stephens College in the Lela Raney Wood Hall – Kimball Ballroom.  Built in 1938 and renovated in 2006, the Kimball Ballroom was the perfect site to accommodate the more than 100 guests attending the event including the awardees and their families and colleagues, as well as friends of the Missouri Humanities Council.  The Governor’s Humanities Awards is a testimony to the value of the humanities in our society.  The event highlights Missouri’s rich heritage, its diverse culture and the contributions of special individuals and organizations committed to the humanities in Missouri.

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