In October, Teachers College gave its annual Distinguished Alumni Award to Barbara Storper (M.A., Nutrtion Education, 1982), creator of the long-running children's ensemble theatre piece, "Foodplay," and other shows aimed at educating children about nutrition and health; Erick Gordon (Ed.M., Teaching of English, 2005; M.A., Teaching of English, 1996), a TC instructor and doctoral student who is the co-creator of the Teachers College Student Press Initiative (SPI), through which thousands of students in the Tri-State area have published and produced their own writings; TC Trustee Joyce Cowin (M.A., Curriculum and Teaching, 1952), a founder and supporter of the Heritage School (an arts-themed high school in East Harlem created by the College), and whose generosity also enabled TC to build a new conference center; and Rachel Moore (M.A., Arts Administration, 1994), Executive Director of the American Ballet Theatre.

Storper also is the creator of the Emmy-winning TV special, "Janey Junkfood's Fresh Adventure," and the touring live theater show, "This is Your Life," which helps adolescents address body image, eating disorders and tobacco-free living. Evaluations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Center for Disease Control have shown that performances of Storper's "Foodplay" produce dramatic improvement in students' eating and exercise habits.

Gordon co-founded SPI in 2002 with TC Professor of English Education Ruth Vinz. The project has produced student-written publications about everything from social activism to the social problems that afflict incoming high school freshmen. SPI's most recent efforts include a compendium by high school students of oral histories taken from senior citizens in the Bronx, and two books of writings by young prisoners in New York City's Rikers Island facility.

Cowin provided important start-up funding to deliver advanced technology and facilitate special projects related to the arts curriculum at Heritage School, which was founded by TC Professor of Art Education Judith Burton and is run as a partnership between TC and the New York City Board of Education. She has served on the TC Board since 1980 and as a member of the TC Alumni Council.

Moore, whose dance career was cut short by injury, has served as Executive Director of Project Step, a training and educational program for disadvantaged children; taught Financial Management for Non-Profit Operations in the graduate program in Arts Administration at Boston University; and completed a National Arts Stabilization Fellowship at Stamford University.

Published Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2006