KIWANIS CLUB OF BENSALEM
SERVICE TO EDUCATION AWARD
RALPH DOUGLASS
Ralph Douglass is an individual that has always volunteered his time for the betterment of Bensalem Township, especially for our youth. He has served as a Bensalem and Bucks County Tech. School Board member; has been on many committees including Facilities and Strategic Planning; was instrumental in establishing a school public access channel and currently serves as President of “Just for the Kids” foundation.
Bensalem Resident since 1965
Married: Jean Nov. 6, 1965 (deceased 2008) 43 wonderful years
Family: 3 Daughters, All Bensalem Graduates
7 Grandchildren (3) Bensalem Graduates (2) Attending (2) Future
3 Great Grandchildren (1) Attending Bensalem Schools (2) Private
Education: Associate Degree Electronic Engineering, Spring Garden Inst.
Attended: Milwaukee School of Engineering
BS – Business Administration, Drexel University, 1962 (Night School)
Military Service: US Air Force, 1955 – 1959
Employment: Professional Electronic Component Assembly, Inc. DBA-PECA, Inc.
(Current) President/CEO/Cofounder Jan. 1968
Custom Design and Manufacturing Electronic Equipment
Bensalem, PA
Elected Office: Bensalem Township Board of School Directors 1973 – 1979
3 years President
Appointments: Bucks County Technical School Authority 1980 – 1982
Bensalem Cable Advisory Board 1982 – Present
Bensalem Township Board of School Directors 1982 – 1983
(Vacancy)
Bensalem Township Board of School Directors 1992 – 1994
(Vacancy)
Bucks County Technical High School Authority 1996 – Present
(President)
Boards: Joint Cable/Telecommunication Advisory Bd. For Bucks County
Bensalem Non-Public School Channel (NPSC)
Committees: Bensalem Township School District Facilities Committee
Bensalem Township School District Strategic Plan Committee
Foundations: Just for the Kids, Education Foundation, President
Organizations: Collingswood-Cloud Lodge 101, F&AM
Excelsior Consistory, Collingswood, NJ
Crescent Temple Shrine, Trenton, NJ
Society of Cable/Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE)
Member: Cornwells United Methodist Church
KIWANIS CLUB OF BENSALEM
EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
CHRISTIAN HEINE
Teacher at Cornwells Elementary School, Bensalem Township School District.
Students in Mr. Heine’s class are valued as individuals. Mr. Heine goes to great lengths to ensure that all of his students maximize their potential. He educates the whole child by facilitating their moral, social and emotional development in addition to providing for his student academically. He differentiates instruction for individual students’ learning styles, and he invests a long of energy into helping his students overcome adversity. He is known for his abilities to reach behaviorally challenging students and to help them channel their energies into positive choices.
He has been awarded the Teacher of the Year award for Bensalem Township School District.
2007 Semi-finalist for the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year award.
Helped to facilitate the professional development of countless colleagues within his 34 years of teaching. He has been an active member and has served in leadership capacities on several building and district level committees.
Lead Science teacher for Cornwells Elementary; regularly attends meetings and trainings with the district’s science coordinator.
Co-chairperson of the Cornwells Elementary science fair that involves nearly 40 percent of the student body. He has been a member of the Bensalem School District Science and Mathematics committees.
Helped to coach his colleagues so they can understand and implement new curriculum materials effectively within their own classrooms.
Investing his time and expertise into the staff development of other professionals outside of his school and district.
He has been a member of the Pennsylvania and National Science Teachers Associations (PSTA and NSTA) and has served in leadership roles within those organizations.
Member of the advisory committees for NSTA Reports professional publication, and he is a manuscript reviewer for NSTA’s Science and Children Magazine. Mr. Heine has served as a presenter and volunteer at NSTA annual conventions.
Attends and presents at the Pennsylvania and National Science Teachers Association conventions.
Earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in the mid 1970’s; however, he continues his professional development through taking college level classes. Mr. Heine continues to seek out opportunities to make himself a better educator. He is a reflective practitioner who likes to continuously stretch himself and change for the better. He proves this through his ongoing committee work in Bensalem and his participation in staff development opportunities through professional organizations.
Chairperson for the Cornwells Elementary School Georgiana Committee, established in the memory of Georgiana Antonupolous, a former Cornwells student, who passed away from cancer in 2000. The Georgiana Committee organized community service projects and fund-raising efforts to raise over $30,000 for the Ronald McDonald House at St. Christopher’s Hospital in Philadelphia.
Stock Market Game – Mr. Heine has had his fifth grade students participate in the Stock Market Game for fifteen years. His students have earned a top ten ranking in ten of the fifteen years. Mr. Heine and his father, Mr. Christian Heine, Sr., coached the children in how to use the stock market for investing, and helped the students to learn skills and find value in finance planning.
Recognized at the Union League of Philadelphia as a Distinguished Educator in Financial Education.
Awarded the ING Direct Planet Orange Financial Literacy Award in 2006.
Kiwanis International Foundation
George F. Hixson Fellowship
The Hixson Fellowship was established by the International Foundation in 1983 in honor of George F. Hixson, the first president of Kiwanis International, and to build the endowment fund of the International Foundation.
The Worldwide Service project was adopted by Kiwanis with the goal of virtually eliminating iodine deficiency disorders, the world’s leading cause of preventable mental retardation in children. Each contribution of $1000.00 in the recipients name will touch the lives of 20,000 children.
Kiwanis International, known for serving the world’s children, has made a commitment to the children of the world to virtually eliminate this scourge from the face of the earth.
The Kiwanis Club of Bensalem has made a contribution of $1000.00 in the name of the following recipients:
Earl L. Wolf
Fred Harran
Robert Young
W. Michael Smith
Roberta Phillips
Elizabeth Shaefer
Michele Vigilante
Judy Loftus
Dave McCracken
John Woods
Donna Patti
Karl Mascia
LT. Karl Mascia 2009 Hixson Fellowship Recipient Presented on behalf of the Kiwanis Club of Bensalem by Earl L. Wolf, Foundation President The George F. Hixson Fellowship is one of Kiwanis International Foundation’s highest honors. Membership is given to individuals who demonstrate strong Kiwanis support and service to the community with a contribution of a $1000 in their name to the International Kiwanis Foundation. We are pleased to add to the Hixson Fellowship a charter member of the Bensalem Kiwanis club and a distinguish member of the Bensalem Police department, He has demonstrated outstanding support for the children of Bensalem not only with Kiwanis activities but also through his involvement in many community programs. A few of his activities include: Kiwanis Chairs the annual Warm-A-Kid project, active with Student of the Month, Co-chairs annual Educator & Service to Education awards, computerized the Fly Old Glory program our signature project, Served on the Imagination Land committee, Board member for 11 years, and VP of the Bensalem Kiwanis Foundation. Community Runs the annual St. Ephraim’s carnival, Dare officer @ Shafer & Cornwells, chairs annual Christmas Baskets which now exceeds 250+ , Breakfast w/ Santa, Heads the Bensalem Swat Team, Worked closely w/ all Bensalem schools to prepare crisis plans, has served 20+ years with Bensalem’s finest. And topping everything He and his bride Mary have 3 children.
2008-2009 Kiwanis Club of Bensalem Kiwanian of the Year 2008-2009 Pennsylvania District Division 21 Kiwanian of the Year Caroline Williams
Caroline possesses a passion for humanity and for the health and welfare of the community. She has served for many years not only Kiwanis but many other community and social organizations. Her pleasure comes from giving of herself and quietly watching the results of her work. Caroline has devoted herself to a career in health education and has helped countless individuals in health related matters.
Caroline makes decisions based upon how her decisions and actions will affect the people who may be impacted by what she does. She is deliberate and always makes sure the positive will outweigh the negative. Caroline strives to be the utmost professional in everything she undertakes and gently encourages others to do the same. Caroline is a servant leader who always gives everything that she has to the task that she undertakes.
It is a privilege to be friends with Caroline. She is everything one would hope for in a friend. She is there when somebody needs her and she is always there when the club needs her. Caroline strives to promote an atmosphere of friendship and fellowship in our club. She works very hard to make our community better, and she does this because she wants a better community. She does not serve for self-glory, she is very content when the greater good is served.
Our club enjoys a prestigious standing in our community. We are successful because our work integrates the community as a whole. Our whole club is actively engaged in maintaining and increasing our goodwill and Caroline’s spirit and charisma keeps all of us focused on this critical precept.
Caroline is a peace lover and a peace maker. Although she is not intimidated by confrontation, she aspires to make the best of even a bad situation. Anytime a group of people are together there is going to be conflict. Managing the conflicts and maintaining friendships are critical to the success of any club. This is a major priority in Caroline’s life. Her presence at Club and Board meetings is refreshing and a major asset to our club.
Caroline is a servant leader. She has chaired many committees over the years and has served as Vice-President, President-Elect and now President. Caroline co-chairs one of our major fundraisers “Girls Night Out” which has been successful, fun, and attract almost 100 women in our community. “Girls Night Out” helps to fund our scholarship program which awarded 3 scholarships and 3 laptop computers to needy, community-minded college bound seniors last year. Caroline is a team-member in our largest fundraiser “Fly Old Glory” and she is responsible to see that the flags in her assigned district are distributed and taken down 4 times per year. Caroline was a team member for our 1st Annual Univest Financial 5K run where she
helped direct runners during the race. We have also partnered with Hooters Restaurant for Car and Bike shows and she participated in working those events as well.
It is rare that a Kiwanis event occurs and Caroline is not there. Caroline also co-chairs our Imagination Land Playground events. Caroline was on our scholarship committee, helped sort coats during our annual coat drive, participated in our Salvation Army bell ringing, and worked on our stocking program. Caroline is also the Treasurer on the Townships Drug and Alcohol Board, and is a former member of Building a Better Bensalem Together. Caroline also has several professional affiliations and works contractually as a health educator. With all of this going on she makes Kiwanis her top priority.
Every year when it is time for recognition, Caroline has come in second place too many times to count. Her motives are truly altruistic and she does not seek recognition. Caroline is the heart and soul of our club. It is truly a pleasure to see her receive recognition long due.
