The Launch of the Henry Winkler Award for Special Needs
A new Teaching Award has been announced in the name of Henry Winkler, the Hollywood actor, children’s author and Teaching Awards’ patron.
The Henry Winkler Teaching Award for Special Needs will encourage innovative education projects by teachers for children with special needs and is supported by Absolute Radio.
Henry, who is dyslexic and currently on a UK-wide tour promoting reading, said: ‘Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would have the honour of a Teaching Award in my name. It fills me with gratitude and shock because I was my fourth grade teacher's worst nightmare.’
Speaking at a London reception, supported by NCSL, he went on: ‘It never ceases to amaze me that there are now teachers who truly understand and inspire the student who learns differently.’
In March this year Henry chose the Teaching Awards as his favourite charity in a competition between 89 celebrities, including Dawn French and Simon Cowell.
He scooped the £40,000 prize and today (Thursday May 14) received the cheque from Richie Firth, executive producer of the Christian O’Connell Breakfast Show which ran the competition.
The prize will fund a new kind of Teaching Award from 2010, reflecting Henry’s personal commitment to special needs teaching and his passion for encouraging children and young people who face extra challenges.
It will support grass roots innovation in schools. Teachers and support staff will be invited to describe projects they would develop if they won a top prize of £15,000. Two runner-up prizes of £10,000 will also be awarded.
Caroline Evans, chief executive of the Teaching Awards, said: ‘Henry is serious and passionate about our cause but on the radio he was also funny and very entertaining. Thank you Henry for being a brilliant patron and thank you to everyone who voted!’
Henry, who lives in Los Angeles, starred as ‘The Fonz’ in the US sitcom Happy Days but is also the author of a 16-book series. Based on his own childhood, they feature a 10-year old dyslexic boy called Hank Zipzer.
This month he tours the UK and Ireland with First News, the national newspaper for children, in support of the Government's Reading For Life programme.
