Fran Wilson believes she can inspire any student to learn.

And she has pretty good evidence to back it up.

Wilson, a second-grade teacher and reading specialist at John F. Dumont Elementary School in Madeira, has won five grants for teaching proposals. One of them, Project All Write, allowed the school to create a publishing center to motivate students to write.

Her work has earned her the Hixson Teacher of the Year Award, which recognizes her ability to inspire students.

Fran Wilson reads a story to her second-grade class at John F. Dumont Elementary School in Madeira on Tuesday. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

"I look at my job as sort of like a detective," she said. "I have to figure out what makes each kid tick. Then I have to adjust classroom work to get that child motivated to learn."

The award was established 13 years ago by Hixson Architecture Engineering Interiors to honor local teachers who have a positive impact on students, said Wick Ach, president of Hixson.

Elected president

Randall W. Maxey, a University of Cincinnati and Howard University graduate who grew up in Madisonville, has been elected president of the National Medical Association. It represents about 25,000 African-American doctors.

Maxey, a nephrologist in Los Angeles, said he will address some tough issues during his tenure, including inappropriate medical treatment of African-American patients and a health care system that he says prevents African-American doctors from treating managed-care patients.

Networking time

An end-of-summer blast with celebrities and business leaders is designed to celebrate good news on both sides of the Ohio River.

Check out the free event from 5-8 p.m. Sept. 10 at Club Clau, 1133 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine.

"It is a time to network and share good news," said Connie Burns, with Circuit, one of the sponsors.

Call 791-2884, ext. 204