Richard “Dick” Blatt of Chicago is the recipient of the Lutheran Education Associatio
Blatt received the award from LEA Executive Director Jonathan Laabs during a June 13 worship service at St. Philip Lutheran Church, Chicago. At the service, Blatt also was honored on his retirement after devoting his entire career — 44 years as a teacher and principal — at the congregation’s school.
He has held leadership positions in LEA and the LCMS Northern Illinois District and currently is a member of the board of regents for Concordia University, River Forest, Ill.
The award is given each year “to an LEA member who has a history of exemplary service in Lutheran education,” said the June 16 LEA news release ann
Kirk Bolt of Naperville, Ill., and Carl Schiefer, Boca Raton, Fla., are co-recipients of the LEA’s National Distinguished Lutheran Elementary Teacher Award for 2004 and Kristin Drake, Arlington Heights, Ill., is LEA National Lutheran Early Childhood Teacher for the year.
Bolt is a third-grade teacher at Bethany Lutheran School, Naperville, and Schiefer teaches at St. Paul Lutheran School in Boca Raton.
Bolt is a 1970 graduate of Concordia University, River Forest, Ill., where h
Schiefer also is a River Forest graduate (1963), who earned his master of arts from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in 1975.
Both teachers were nominated by LEA members. LEA’s staff and its Elementary Teachers Network leadership chose them 
Drake is a preschool teacher at St. Peter Lutheran School, Arlington Heights.
Her undergraduate degree is from Truman State University, Kirksville, Mo. (1977), and she earned the master of arts in early childhood education degree in 2002 from Concordia, River Forest.
Drake was selected to receive the award by LEA’s Early Childhood Education Network leadership and the LEA staff.
Posted June 25, 2004
