Spotswood teacher wins VFW honor

SPOTSWOOD — Frank Yusko, history teacher at Spotswood High School, has received the VFW Citizenship Education Teacher Award for 2008-09 for New Jersey.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Ladies Auxiliary recognize teachers each year for their promotion of citizenship education in their classrooms.

Yusko is adviser for the high school's Octagon and History clubs. In 2008-09, the clubs planted shade trees at the school's 9/11 memorial; collected DVDs for troops overseas; donated food to the local food pantry; prepared and served meals at St. Peter's soup kitchen; conducted food and toy drives; hosted a holiday party for children with disabilities; raised $4,770 for multiple sclerosis research through a volleyball event; conducted a community cleanup; and visited soldiers at the Menlo Park Veterans Home.

Also, the two clubs honored Army Spc. Mike Gonzalez with a Gold Star on the school's Wall of Heroes and dedicated a memorial stone at the high school in the memory of the late Spotswood graduate.