Cincinnati – Gold Star, in partnership with The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, is proud to announce Mrs. Christen Bonfield from Campbell County Middle School as the fifth recipient of its Gold Star Teacher Award. The award, which annually celebrates the hard work and dedication of local teachers who exhibit a passion for their profession while also going above and beyond for their students, was presented to Bonfield on March 20 during a surprise all-school assembly. Bonfield was one of 935 nominations spanning 700 public and private schools – from preschool to high school, a clear indication of just how valuable and appreciated our region’s educators are. 22,193 votes out of the 65,000 cast solidified Bonfield as the winner.
Gold Star and representatives from The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati came together to surprise Bonfield with the award.
“Every year, our search for the next Gold Star teacher showcases just how lucky our region is to have so many phenomenal educators inspiring the next generation of leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs,” said Gold Star President and CEO Roger David. “Christen, this year’s esteemed winner, has shown a dedication to bettering the lives of others that is simply award-worthy in every way. On behalf of everyone at Gold Star and The Children’s Theater, I would like to again say ‘Congratulations’ to Christen for being this year’s Gold Star Teacher Award winner.”
As the winner of the 2024 Gold Star Teacher Award, Bonfield was awarded by Gold Star a $1,000 individual grant for her classroom, a $500 donation to the Campbell County Middle School made on her behalf, a gift basket full of Gold Star swag and $250 worth of school supplies, and free cheese coney coupons for the entire school. In addition, Bonfield also received her choice of a special prize from the Children’s Theatre: taking her classroom to see a performance of “Disney’s Finding Nemo JR” or a production in the 2024-25 season at the Taft Theatre. Bonfield could also opt to bring a TCT on Tour production to perform at their school.
“Education is the foundation of a successful life and a great educator that makes knowledge come alive for their students is key in making that happen,” said Kim Kern, Managing Director and CEO of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. “In the same way we at the Children’s Theatre work to bring stories to life, our local educators work in the same manner to ensure our children believe in themselves. That is one of the traits of a Gold Star teacher and just one of the reasons that we are honored to celebrate Christen Bonfield with this year’s award.”
Known by her students as Senora Bonfield, she has a deep passion for teaching and tries to help every student experience other cultures they otherwise may never have known about. In addition to founding the Campbell County Middle School’s Spanish program, Christen continues to go the extra mile for each student she works with. This includes even working remotely to teach a student who could not attend classes during their brave battle against cancer. She aims to inspire each child she teaches to travel and experience the world outside their native Kentucky communities.
To learn more about the Gold Star Teacher Award, visit: https://www.goldstarchili.com/goldstarteacher.
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ABOUT GOLD STAR
At Gold Star, we’ve been serving our guests delicious Cincinnati-style Chili since 1965 when the Daoud brothers bought a restaurant in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Mt. Washington. They wanted to make chili the right way: always fresh, never frozen and made in small batches to ensure quality. Crafted from our founders’ secret family recipe of 13 perfectly blended spices to make Cincinnati’s classic chili favorites the Cheese Coney, and 3-, 4- and 5-Way Chili Spaghetti. Our menu offers something to make everyone happy from fresh grilled-to-order burgers, southern-style chicken sandwiches, vegetarian chili, double-decker deli sandwiches to loaded French fries, hand-tossed salads and 100% real ice cream shakes made in partnership with Madisono’s. It may not be what you would expect from a neighborhood chili parlor, but we’re not big on labels anyway. We invite all of our guests to come as you are, like what you like, and follow your own recipe.
Today, Gold Star has 65 corporate- and franchise-owned locations throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana and is actively developing new franchise opportunities in the region. For more information, visit www.goldstarchili.com. Gold Star is hiring for all positions with competitive pay and benefits; apply to join our team at: https://www.goldstarchili.com/careers.
ABOUT THE CHILDREN’S THEATRE OF CINCINNATI
Now in our 104th season, The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is the oldest professional theatre for young audiences in the country and is considered one of the top four children’s theatres in the nation. The mission of The Children’s of Cincinnati is to educate, entertain and engage audiences of all ages through professional theatrical productions and arts education programming. Our vision is to awaken a lifelong love of theatre in children and the young at heart. TCT brings art to life through three divisions, TCT MainStage at the Taft Theatre, TCT on Tour/WorkShops, and TCT Academy, serving more than 200,000 people each year. For more information visit www.thechildrenstheatre.com.