Students have a 'magical' experience at Linwood
Marjorie Spangler awarded as 'Teacher Who Makes Magic'
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK — Marjorie Spangler brings a little bit of magic to her classroom at Linwood Middle School.

Spangler, a health teacher at the school since 1994, was nominated by Principal Pete Clark and received the "Teacher Who Makes Magic" award from WMGQ 98.3, a Greater Media radio station.

"It's so overwhelming, I began to cry," Spangler said of Clark, calling her down to his office over the intercom system. "I work with such talented and dedicated educators that I am absolutely humbled someone would pick me."

Spangler is involved with several character education programs at the school. Last year, the PACES project — Partnership for Advancing Character Education through Service Learning — had students helping senior citizens learn how to use the computer, and had students in his English as a Second Language class make Valentine's Day cards, which won a Promising Practices Award from the Character Education Partnership.

This year, SLICE, or Student Leaders Improving Character Education, will have about 50 students thanking nurses at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, sending holiday cards to the hospital's pediatric oncology unit, making bagged lunches and placemats for the Elijah's Promise Soup Kitchen in January for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and facilitating an Alex's Lemonade Stand for the winter athletes to run.

Through a $25,000 Learn & Serve America grant Linwood received, the students will also partner with Maxson Middle School in Plainfield for a mentoring program and to collaborate on an action plan to combat youth violence in schools.

"I can't give self-esteem to a child but I can give them the opportunity to build it within themselves, and this is how I do it," she said.

In addition, Spangler utilizes her time with the health classes to improve character education. The Clothesline Project, based on Boston helping victims of domestic violence, focuses on Linwood students learning about bullying, gangs and intimate partner violence. The honorary elves decorated an interfaith holiday tree and brought in gifts for adopted families for the holiday season. In January, the Souper Bowl will collect food donations.

In addition, SEEK, or Safety and Environment Education for Kids, will teach about domestic violence as well as the environment. Each grade level will be responsible for a different type of recycling and there will be a zero-garbage day, in which students will carry around any items they need to dispose of.

Spangler said that the need to give back is innate. Since she was young her parents taught her it is better to give than to receive. She said on birthdays, the person celebrating the birthday would buy presents for their siblings, and that during the holidays their family would welcome outsiders into their home.

"If we don't care about one another, who will? There's a sense of satisfaction when you've done something kind for another person and you don't expect anything in return," she said.

"I don't do what I do to get a pat on the back; I do what I do because it's my passion. It my sincere hope that students learn at Linwood and leave here volunteers," she said. "If I reach one kid and one kid says thank you, it makes it all worthwhile."

Contact Jennifer Amato at

jamato@gmnews.com.