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Alternative Education Principal Honored: McLelland Named One of National Association's Women of the Year

Posted on: Saturday, 25 March 2006, 15:00 CST

By Amy D. Lynch, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas

Mar. 24--HARLNGEN -- Being named woman of the year is not something Ann McLelland imagined as principal of an alternative education campus.

In fact, McLelland said positive recognition does not commonly come out of a boot camp-type school.

"I was flabbergasted," she said. "When you come to work at a place like the Secondary Alternative Center, you leave your ego at the door. We get a lot of support from the school administration and board members, but most people do not associate stuff like this (the award) with discipline problem children."

McLelland, principal for the Harlingen CISD Secondary Alternative Center, was chosen as one of the American Association of University Women Harlingen branch 2006 Women of the Year. The women will be honored at a luncheon April 1 at the Harlingen Country Club.

McLelland is in her 29th year in education, which includes 19 years in the classroom and 10 in administration. Although she loved the classroom, McLelland said she loves helping more students as an administrator.

"I think when you're in a classroom, you put your effort into X amount of lives, but you can make more of an impact in a different way as an administrator and be an inspiration," she said.

McLelland said she had wanted the position as the principal at SAC to make an impression on a different type of student.

"You have to have love and belief for these students," she said. "Most of the children that come here have underlying issues and you need to be somewhat compassionate to that. I like having contact with each one because of the small group here."

Also nominated for woman of the year is Deborah Vaughn, chairman of the English department at Harlingen High School South.

Vaughn, who has also been in education 29 years, spent 19 years as a teacher at Coakley Middle School before moving on as a high school speech teacher and eventually the chair of the department.

"I was amazed to be honored by the association," she said. "I felt it was interesting to be honored to do something you should be doing for education. But it is great for this to come from a group that puts such tremendous value on education."

Vaughn not only lends her time to students inside the classroom but she is also a UIL and academic decathlon coach and an after-school Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills tutor.

"I think the greatest part is getting a call or running into your former students," Vaughn said. "There are some that have gone on to become translators for the United Nations and who have received their PHDs and speaking in congressional hearings. Knowing that has made everything worthwhile."

Also being honored with the Rising Star Award is Maria Estella Lopez, principal of La Paloma Elementary in San Benito.

If yOU GO

WHAT: American Association of University Women Harlingen branch luncheon

WHEN: April 1

WHERE: Harlingen Country Club

NOTE: For ticket information, please call: 956-536-1440 or 956-459-3955

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Copyright (c) 2006, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas)

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