ATHENA Awards

2011 ATHENA Award Winner

Sara Garfield
Founder and Director, one.TLC School for Homeless Children (Transitional Learning Center)

With great pleasure, the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce announces the selection of Sara Garfield as its 2011 ATHENA Award recipient. Sara is the founder and director of the one.TLC School for Homeless Children (Transitional Learning Center) and Professor Emerita at CSU- Stanislaus. The ATHENA Award will be presented to Sara Garfield at the annual ATHENA Luncheon on November 17^th, 11:30am, at the Stockton Golf and Country Club.

Sara has a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin. She is a retired Professor of Education at California State University-Stanislaus, and was a trustee on the CSUS Foundation Board for 10 years. In addition to her work at Stanislaus State, she has been an instructor in Communications Skills at San Joaquin Delta College. Sara has been recognized as an educational leader both at the national, state and regional levels.

Sara has been a member and past president of the Saint Mary’s Inter Faith Dining Room Board. She was a founding board member of the CSU Stanislaus Advisory Committee, and a member of the San Joaquin A+ Committee. She is a founding board member and Chair of the National Educational Alliance for Children of Homeless, an advisory board member of the California Delta Habitat and Mary Graham Children’s Shelter Foundation, and a founding board member for the one.TLC School Foundation.

Unquestionably, Ms. Garfield’s greatest community leadership has been as founder and director of the one.TLC School for Homeless Children, operated by (SJCOE) the San Joaquin Office of Education in collaboration with (SUSD) Stockton Unified School District and the one.TLC Foundation. She started the school in 1992 with the assistance of David Brewer, Helen Crane and SJCOE and continues to be the director. Her efforts to help homeless children are legendary; and while she has been very active in the community in a number of other ways, this has to be the community leadership for which she will always be remembered. Her life has been devoted to mentoring young people, and in recognition of this work, Sara was awarded President Clinton’s Service in Education Award and the National Golden Rule Medallion Award.

In addition to all of Ms. Garfield’s other contributions, it is worth noting she has been the recipient of the  “Architect of Peace”, “ CSU-S Outstanding Professor”, “Distinguished Alumni”,  “Susan B. Anthony Woman of Achievement in Education”, “Service to Mankind, “ Educator of the Year”, and the “Girl Scout Role Model” awards.

Sara Garfield’s energy, dedication, and commitment to community service have served as a very important role model to women of all ages.

Click here to view the 2011 ATHENA Awards slide show.

2011 ATHENA Sponsors

Click here for more information on the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award.