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| Just me |
I found myself among the finalists when I expected less or not at all. I candidate for the Education Awards organized by ‘Dinu Patriciu’ Foundation. I tried my luck for ‘The librarian of the year’ section, as I represent ‘Duiliu Zamfirescu’ Vrancea County Public Library, where I have been working for eight years, and…
It is the third year since ‘Dinu Patriciu’ Foundation from Bucharest organizes these Education Awards at a national level, on different sections: The Teacher of the Year, The School of the Year, The NGO of the Year etc., trying to promote people, institutions, and projects, truly special. It is a commendable project that promotes values that are often hiding behind ordinary people.
It is the second year when the application is available for The Librarian of the Year and for the first time, I must admit, since I gave importance to this event. I applied for it, so to say, with the left hand… I didn’t think I could win. I didn’t even imagine I could pass the first stage – The eligible candidates – letting alone the fact that I reached the second stage – The finalists, and giving an interview for the jury in Bucharest and participate in the Awards.
The epic – briefly. I looked on the Foundation’s website: http://www.premiileineducatie.ro/, I created an account and read the contest rules. I completed a form with 5-6 questions, presenting my activity for 2010-2011. I sent the form on-line, but I also had to send it ‘on paper’, signed, having attached all the materials proving my activities: pictures, newspaper articles, website and blog links, PowerPoint presentations, impressions from the readers or volunteers, etc. The period for subscription lasted a few months, from 15th of June to 27th of September.
Short inserts taken from the website of the Foundation, with the agreement of the organizers:
1. Feedback for the participants
Dear participants of the Education Awards 2011,
The fact that you subscribed for the Education Awards, demonstrating that you met and even exceeded the eligibility criteria – a little bit ‘unorthodox’ as some would say – classify you from the start as being passionate for education. How else would you have dared to go through a registration procedure, consuming time and energy that asked you to write all your activities during the year and gather materials in order to demonstrate all your words? That’s why you deserve from the start - ‘Congratulations!’
Yesterday, 27th of September 2011, was the last day for completing the forms for the contest – The 3rd edition of the Education Awards. Most of you, kept us curious until the very last moment…thinking that you will not be able to finish your subscription number of closed accounts and forms filed has been tripled. We are really sorry if you gotthe answers to your questions later than we wanted…Many requests have come in the last hundred meters.
Then, there has been a period of jury, (28th of September - 22nd of October) when the candidates have been chosen, meaning those who had met the requirements for the contest and had all their folders complete and correct. Out of 23 there have been chosen 10 candidates.
Short inserts taken from the website of the Foundation, with the agreement of the organizers:
2. Eligible candidates for the Education Awards 2011
2. Eligible candidates for the Education Awards 2011
Today, 11th of October, we announce the names of the candidates declared eligible for the 3rd edition of the Education Awards contest. Those who find their names on the published list are those who met all the eligible criteria and respected the procedure of subscription (complete the form online, send it also, signed, at ‘Dinu Patriciu’ Foundation Office until 27th of September, the Post date, send the materials proving the candidate until 7th of October).
The form for the contest of the eligible candidates will be evaluated by the members of the Jury according to the evaluating criterions posted here.
The form for the contest of the eligible candidates will be evaluated by the members of the Jury according to the evaluating criterions posted here.
After this stage, the Jury will name the finalists of each section of the contest. All of them will be announced on 17th of October 2011, in the afternoon, on the website of the contest: www.premiileineducatie.ro.
3. The finalists for the 3rd edition of Education Awards
Today, 17th of October, the Education Awards announce the finalists for the 3rd edition. These are the candidates chosen who – after the on-line evaluation of the forms made by the members of the Jury – received the highest grades for the section they applied for. All those who find their names on the list are asked to come for the interview which will take place in Bucharest between 22-23 October, as it follows:
- 22nd of October: the finalists for the Student of the Year, The University Teacher of the Year, The Pre university Teacher of the Year, The Educator/Elementary school Teacher of the Year, The NGO of the Year in the field of education and The Best Educational Project
- 23rd of October: the finalists for The Student of the Year, The Researcher of the Year and the Librarian of the Year.
All of us took the interview on 23rd of October at the Faculty of History from Bucharest, with the following members of the Jury: Gilda Drăgănescu, the winner of the 1st prize of the last year; Dragoș Neagu, Vice – President of ANBBPR (The Association of the Librarians and Public Libraries) from Romania, and the Director of Brăila County Library; Andrei Roșca, founder of Bookblog – the most important website about books from Romania; Cristian Lupșa, publisher from Decât o Revistă (Just a magazine) and Cătălin Ștefănescu Realizator TVR, who couldn’t be present and has been replaced.
I found the interview as being easy. I wasn’t nervous about it. Even though, in the beginning, I lost myself for a few seconds, I think I succeeded this stage. If I’m wrong…Anyway, the jury wasn’t there to hammer us but they were opened for a normal discussion, as it should be. After the interview we took some pictures for the catalogue of the contest. I think all the finalists will be there with their success stories, but anyway, it has been a lot of fun to feel V.I.P for a few minutes!
In the same time, after announcing the finalists, there has been created a web page on the Foundation website, where to promote our activity and receive votes from our supporters, until 30 of October: http://www.premiileineducatie.ro/gpo/finalist/anamaria-catanoiu/
It is the first year when this kind of supporting is introduced. As we were told, the number of the votes has no influence in taking the final decision.
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Short inserts taken from the website of the Foundation, with the agreement of the organizers:
4. This year at the Education Awards, the public names the most popular 11 finalists
Today,20th of October 2011, there has been launched the online platform for voting the finalists for the Education Awards – 2011 Edition. This will be available between 20-30 October, and for voting, the option is for the whole public. The 92 finalists of the 11 sections of the contests are present on this platform along with an individual profile aiming to inform the voting public about the most relevant aspects of each candidate.
The number of votes will name for each section a winner – who will receive the Popularity prize, without any link to the prize consisting of money offered by the Education Awards as an evaluation of the Jury, based on the announced criteria in here:
For the votes, the procedure is pretty fast and simple. Those who want to vote have to create an account on http://www.premiileineducatie.ro/gpo/ and the log in. Immediately after, there can be voted a candidate to each of the 11 sections. After voting, the account can be used exclusively for commenting or contacting the finalists.
The voting platform for popularity was launched for encouraging the finalists to promote their work supplementary.
This is the website for the finalists of The Library of the Year section: http://www.premiileineducatie.ro/gpo/finalisti/bibliotecarul-anului/
Here you find out all the other sections: http://www.premiileineducatie.ro/gpo/.
It was an interesting experience, mostly the one with giving votes, because the supporters could post comments and send private messages on the account created on the website of the Foundation. Actually, for me this counted the most and I have considered myself already a winner. Most of those who voted me I don’t even know then and I think they are not even from Vrancea. Of course, the supporters were primarily my friends, my family, the volunteers from the library and my working colleagues and … my friends from other countries. Here, I offer you some of the messages that simply made me cry:
- You’re such a sweetie… and for all your work you really DESERVE to win… as my vote goes to you and you got all my respect.
- Congratulations for everything you do! Whatever it will be, you’re a winner! Good luck!
- Good luck, Ana! You really deserve it! Bring another prize for our library! TF
- I was born in Adjud, in Vrancea County, and there is no other thought but of course to vote you! Good luck!
- Hi Ana, I did it :)) It was pleasure for me to vote for you. Can you let me know the result! Good lucks... Warmly, Dilek
- I vote you because you are the BEST!
- It has been my pleasure to take one moment and vote for you. Keep up with the good work and stay focused on your future goals. I have no doubt you can get the job done much better than anyone else.
- God keep you, Ana! Good Luck!!!
- Good, good luck… I really am happy that you applied for it and that you are one of the finalists.
- Good luck, Anna, I’m really happy that you’re one of the finalists!
- I tried to vote but I'm not sure. Good luck. Muhsin DİLBAZ
For all of those who supported me I sent them a message (I had this possibility as well from my account) that I thought represent me at the best:
Thank you with all my soul for supporting me! It counts enormously that I am on this position. I never thought, but I did it. On the evening of the Awards I’ll be thinking of you and if I’ll be one of the winners I’ll thank you, LIVE. The Awards will be shown on TV and can be watched as well on-line. That’s true, one swallow doesn’t make a summer, but is the most beautiful and optimistic beginning. THE SUN RISES EVERY DAY… Ana.
And I really believed and told these simple words with all my soul.
On the 2nd of October, the big even took place, The Education Awards, when the winners have been announced for each section. The event was held at the Union Chamber of the Parliament Palace and it was transmitted on-line on the website of the http://www.premiileineducatie.ro. There has been three prizes, the main prizes, the classics: the 1st, the 2nd and the 3rd prize and this year there has been introduced the Popularity Prize (based on the online voting), to encourage the finalists to promote their work supplementary.
Short insertions taken from the website of the Foundation with the agreement of the organizers:
5. The Education Awards has chosen the winners for the 3rd edition
5. The Education Awards has chosen the winners for the 3rd edition
On Wednesday, in the evening, there have been announced the winners for the 3rd edition of the Education Awards. This event is an annual project initiated by ‘Dinu Patriciu’ Foundation aiming to identify and reward the best examples from the field of education – people, institutions and organizations which – through dedication, originality and passion – contribute to the development of the Romanian school.
This year, The Education Awards offered a prizes totaling 250.000 Euro. Each winner received a diploma and also a prize whose value varied, depending on each section, between 2.000 and 30.000 Euro.
Along with the members of the jury, who presented the awards, there have been also one of the former Presidents of Romania, Emil Constantinescu, the TV presenter, Melania Medeleanu, Radu Gologan – the President of Society of Mathematical Science președintele, Alexandru Mironov – the senior editor of the Science and Technology magazine and Adela Jansen – The executive director for human resources at BRD Société Générale.
Here there are the names of the winners and their prizes:
This year, The Education Awards offered a prizes totaling 250.000 Euro. Each winner received a diploma and also a prize whose value varied, depending on each section, between 2.000 and 30.000 Euro.
Along with the members of the jury, who presented the awards, there have been also one of the former Presidents of Romania, Emil Constantinescu, the TV presenter, Melania Medeleanu, Radu Gologan – the President of Society of Mathematical Science președintele, Alexandru Mironov – the senior editor of the Science and Technology magazine and Adela Jansen – The executive director for human resources at BRD Société Générale.
Here there are the names of the winners and their prizes:
The librarian of the year:
1.Maria Grancea, The City Library Avrig – Sibiu, 10.000 euro;
2.Claudia Popescu, ‘George Barițiu’ County Library - Brașov, 5.000 euro;
3.Elena Chiaburu, The University Library of the Faculty of Economy and Business Administration, ‘Al. I. Cuza’ University - Iași, 2.000 euro.
1.Maria Grancea, The City Library Avrig – Sibiu, 10.000 euro;
2.Claudia Popescu, ‘George Barițiu’ County Library - Brașov, 5.000 euro;
3.Elena Chiaburu, The University Library of the Faculty of Economy and Business Administration, ‘Al. I. Cuza’ University - Iași, 2.000 euro.
Therefore, as you can read, the event was attended by all the finalists from each section, the members of the jury, V.I.Ps, all having a strong connection with… education. All of us walked on the red carpet of the Parliament’ stairs and entered in a room where, for four hours, as long as the ceremony lasted, I admired the wonderful architectural setting. At the entrance we took pictures and on the table we found the catalogue with all the finalists and their success story (the catalogue can be found, I think, also on the website of the Foundation).
The event was opened by the President of the Foundation, Dinu Patriciu, who gave 6 awards of recognition for the contribution to the Romanian educational system development.
Then, it followed the awards for popularity. Then, step by step, the awards for each category of the contest given by a representative of the jury and a very famous name from the public life For the section ‘The Librarian of the Year’ these awards have been given by Cristian Lupșa, publisher for Decât o Revistă (Just a magazine). The emotions were really high, but each winner talked beautiful.
The thing that impressed me the most, a little detail that many people might have omitted was the natural alignment of the social categories. There stayed next to each other ordinary people, next to people…less ordinary: students, city librarians, village librarians, teachers from the village, researchers, presidents and directors etc.,all equal in opportunities, each with honors and achievements worthy of recognition and praise.
For me, the most important was not the prize but the experience, the beauty of the competition, people’s love. I demonstrated myself that I can and that I have around me a gold mine: friends. The participation to this event was the best thing. The place, the ambient, the people…a real gift for Christmas! In life the material gain is not everything… and yet…
Why do we forget or ignore the simple things? Why do we always forget or ignore simple people? Why do we ignore or forget about simple words?
P.S. No comment…
(04.11.2011 10:54:02): Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS!
(04.11.2011 11:09:52): OUR CONRATULATIONS FOR SOMEONE WITH THE HEAD UP!
(04.11.2011 11:38:34): Congratulations, Anuța! It is extraordinary that you got in there, the award is not only about your professionalism but for how well you manage to ‘sell’ yourself … walk your road, ‘cause it’s the good one!!! For us, you're the best
(04.11.2011 17:48): You already know my opinion….You are a fighter and because of this you’re a winner. Congratulations and keep going!
(04.11.2011 17:48): You already know my opinion….You are a fighter and because of this you’re a winner. Congratulations and keep going!
THANKS, ALL OF YOU MY DEAR FRIENDS, BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE, IN MY WORLD!
Written by Anamaria Cătănoiu – Foreign Languages Centre Coordinator
Translated by Oana Zlatovici - volunteer
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| The Union Room for the Awards |
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| A buffet at the entrance |
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| The banner of the Awards |
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| The Parliament |
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| The Union Room |
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| The finalists row |
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| Me, smiling |
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| Dinu Patriciu, president of the Foundation |
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| The presenters |
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| President Adevărul Holding |
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| Emil Constantinescu, former Romanian President |
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| Alexandru Mironov |
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| The Education Awards catalogue |
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| Me, in the Education Awards catalogue |
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| The finalists from the Librarian of the Year section |
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| Cristian Lupsa, editor Decât o Revistă |
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| Me, on the Parliament House stairs |
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| The same place |
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