2008

Valgene King, Dianne Lennon, Claudia Ratzlaff, Gail Rosenthal, Mazie Scanlan

Valgene King - Social Services/Volunteerism

2008 Valgene King, is the Director of Medical and Social Services at the Department of Family and Community Development (formerly the Atlantic County Welfare Board) after holding a permanent substitute teacher position at Pleasantville High School. She has assisted numerous people in Atlantic County, organizing many volunteer food and clothing drives for needy families. She implemented the TV hookup for “Work First New Jersey” and provided continuous input for “We Care”. She believes: “A word of encouragement can make the difference between giving up or going on.

Dianne Lennon - Education

Dianne Lennon, after completing her Bachelor of Science and Home Economics degrees, completed her post graduate studies in Adult Education and Urban Studies. She held a position with the Farmers Home Administration, USDA as a home management supervisor. In 1970 she joined Rutgers Cooperative Extension and later became a professor. She has taught the benefits of nutrition/lifestyle changes to adults and youth in Atlantic County. Deceased

Claudia Ratzlaff - Social Services

Claudia Ratzlaff has been the Executive Director of the Atlantic County Women’s Center for the last six years. Under her direction the ACWC has transformed from a grassroots program to a highly visible, mainstream social services organization. Her belief is to empower women and their families to improve their quality of life through offering unconditional positive regard for each individual seeking services.

Gail Rosenthal - Education

Gail Rosenthal’s goal has been to build strong and positive identities for students by providing positive role models of strength and courage. She has directed the day-to-day operation of Richard Stockton College of New Jersey’s Holocaust Resource Center since 1990 and is a Holocaust and genocide educator throughout Atlantic County. Under her supervision, scholarships have been established for students and educators to further their studies of the Holocaust and other genocides.

Mazie Scanlon - Education (Posthumous)

Mazie Scanlon spent her entire public school teaching career in Atlantic County, teaching Physical Education to students in elementary, junior and senior high schools. Her belief was ”The basic idea of the physical education program hasn’t changed, but the way it is attained has. The basic principle is that exercise is necessary for health”. Mazie was active in the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Miss America Scholarship Committee and the recipient of many awards. Many of her students still remember they were “Crazy About Mazie.