Thanks to a partnership that started in 1999 between West Salisbury Elementary and Baxter Enterprises/McDonald's, thousands of teachers and tens of thousands of students have benefited from everything from coupons and bicycles to reward good scholarship and citizenship at the elementary level to spirit nights at some of the 21 Baxter McDonald's restaurants on Delmarva to $1,000 scholarships for a graduating senior at each high school.

Contributions by Baxter Enterprises to support the success of students, teachers, and schools have exceeded the half-million-dollar mark.

Baxter Enterprises also sponsors a teacher appreciation initiative, the McEducator Awards, to reward an outstanding teacher from each elementary school for criteria including outstanding attendance, commendable observations and evaluations, positive rapport with others, tenured status, and an effective instructional program.

Each of these McEducator recipients received a $400 Marriott gift card and $100 American Express gift card:

• Julie Swift, Beaver Run Elementary
• Tori Sample, Charles H. Chipman Elementary
• Heather Spicer, Delmar Elementary
• Jennifer Pitoniak, East Salisbury Elementary
• Christy Brasure, Fruitland Primary
• Anna Krider, Fruitland Intermediate
• Chelsea Seabrease, Glen Avenue Elementary
• Diana Hill, North Salisbury Elementary
• Megan Block, Northwestern Elementary
• Joy Venere, Pemberton Elementary
• Valerie Vandever, Pinehurst Elementary
• Erin Frederick, Pittsville Elementary
• April Guard, Prince Street Elementary
• Heather Lawhead, Wicomico Early Learning Center
• Debbie Tobin, West Salisbury Elementary
• Christina Stewart, Westside Primary
• John Chris McLaughlin, Westside Intermediate
• Jamie Spears, Willards Elementary

Certificates of appreciation to Baxter Enterprises CEO Tom Baxter and Tiffany Baxter Beach, owner/operator, for being outstanding supporters of public education.