On February 20, 2023 Mr. David Wronko, Social Studies Teacher for Asbury Park High School, and Mrs. Jessica Gualario, Social Studies Teacher for Neptune High School, were awarded the Citizenship Education Teacher Award. Mr. Wronko was given the award representing grades 6-8 while Mrs. Gualario was given the award representing grades 9-12.
Below was a letter from post commander Wilbur V. Martin:
Citizenship Education Teacher Award Competition
Dear Contestant,
On behalf of Harold Daley VFW Post 1333, we would like to thank you for submitting an official entry form for the 2022-2023 Citizenship Education Teacher Award Competition.
Citizen Education Teacher Award is conducted nationwide and is a VFW sponsored competition which recognizes teachers who teach citizenship education topics regularly and promote America’s history and traditions effectively. Teachers who promote civic responsibility, flag etiquette and patriotism are prime candidates for this award.
Mr. Wronko and Mrs. Gualario fitted this criteria and their own personal statements showed why they were picked for this award.
David Wronko
Asbury Park High School
I have worked for the Asbury Park School District for over eighteen years. During my tenure in the school system I got involved with the VFW in 2007. Every year, I stressed the importance of our veterans. For instance, every year I had assemblies for Veterans Day, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Memorial Day, in which invited VFW members would speak to my students about the importance of their service fighting for our rights and freedom. Also, during these assemblies my students would conduct presentations showing how the veterans protected our country.
Furthermore, these assemblies became more advanced as the VFW were tied to other programs such as Project Ghana, League of Women Voters, and Action Civics of America. Each program incorporated the importance of our veterans and as well as our veterans speaking to students in other countries such as Ghana and Aruba.
Jessica Gualario
Neptune High School
For the past 21 years I have been teaching Social Studies to students in grades 9-12. For me, it is important for my students to understand the sacrifices that our men and women who have served in the Armed Forces have made for the United States. I like to have my students explore how the rights and freedoms that we are afforded in the United States are not granted across the world. I encourage my students to think outside the box and to ask questions to be more informed.
In addition to the Citizen Education Teacher Award, Mr. Wronko and Mrs. Gualario were also given The State of New Jersey Senate Citation recognition by Senator Vin Gopal.
