Buckeye Career Center Hospitality Instructor Deb Ganyard is being honored by the Tuscarawas County Board of Disabilities for her commitment to helping students with special needs achieve their potential. (Buckeye Career Center)

NEW PHILADELPHIA – A Buckeye Career Center educator is being honored for her work with special needs students.

Hospitality Instructor Deb Ganyard has been selected as the recipient of the Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities' 2019 WOW Award, presented to an educator or school employee who helps students with developmental disabilities reach their full potential. 

Ganyard and her teaching assistants help students learn essential life skills like how to use a cash register, cook meals and do laundry. She also oversees BCC's student-run Joe Carlisle Marketplace. Some of her past graduates have found employment at Walmart, Taco Bell, Union Country Club, Buehler’s, and Dutch Valley Restaurant. BCC Assistant Principal Julie Brinkman says it's a joy to watch Ganyard work and see her students grow from year to year. 

“She is so compassionate about her work and her students that they just thrive in her classroom. Mrs. Ganyard is a woman of integrity, honesty, and compassion. She believes that every one of her students has a gift and she works with them to help them use it to the fullest,” Brinkman says.  

Ganyard says she's thrilled to have been named this year’s winner. 

“It’s always an honor to be recognized but is especially rewarding to be recognized from TuscBDD because of our relationship and our common goal of seeing students with special needs reach their full potential,” she says.

Ganyard will receive the award at TuscBDD's 2nd-annual Better Together Bash Thursday at 6 pm at Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School. Tickets are $10 per person for the event that also includes a lasagna dinner, dance, silent auction and 50/50 raffle.