Locals Honored as 'Shining Lights' for Schools

Although there are many who contribute to the education of Natick's students, three outstanding award winners earned the spotlight at the Natick Education Foundation Shining Light Awards Wednesday night.

Second and third-grade teacher at , Abbie Fox, was recognized at the 2012 Educator Shining Light Award. A group of Fox's students supported her on the stage while parents spoke of her passion for the classroom and her role as a "teacher of teachers." One parent speaker cried as she said that Fox "respects every child's unique place in the world." Fox previously used money raised by the Natick Education Foundation to create an ornithology lab at Lilja which allows students to use motion cameras to study birds and their behavior. Her award this year comes with a $1,000 grant that Fox plans to use to create a wetlands lab.

Natick-based is the recipient of this year's Business Shining Light Award for the financial support it has offered the schools over its almost 25 years in town as well as the annual scholarships the company gives to Natick students heading to college. All 2,400 employees, 1,700 of which work in Natick, are given eight paid hours each year to spend doing community service around town.

volunteer of almost forty years, Anne Knott Schaller, is the recipient of the 2012 Harriet F. Siegel Shining Light Award. Throughout the years, Schaller has worked to create the exhibits at the Natick Historical Society museum and teach Natick's students and other residents about the town's history. Schaller also helped to create a book filled with historical photographs from Natick, called "Images of America, Natick."