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Comments about Gary Wittmann
One thing is definitely up in the air--who is having more fun.  Children snap their fingers, slap their legs, and cluck on cue.  Gary, a whirlwind pantomine of gestures, pounces, growls, kneels on the floor, springs into the air, and generally keeps the attention of over 50 kids engaged for an hour and asking for more.   
Carter Cates  Ferdinand News
 
Gary puts his whole heart and soul into his stories and does a great job engaging his audience.  Gary's stories flow out of lifes' experiences and help to preserve the lost art of storytelling.  Our children loved it.
Sister Mary Carol, Principal  Northeast Dubois Elementary School
 
Your enthusiasm captivates the students' attention.
Kathy Wilmes, Director of At-Risk program, Southeast Dubois School Corporation
 
You kept the many students well motivated...active...responsive...to your stories and songs.  The students said you should come back more often.  Janie said you were breathtaking!  When I see your name I know it will be a great show.
Mrs. Maureen Werne, teacher at Northeast Dubois School Corporation
 
Stories are such a fun way to learn a lesson in life, especially the way you tell them.
Darla Laake, Grade 2 Teacher, Ferdinand Elementary School.
 
Gary: I was so glad to hear your news and it sounds like you are doing such important work, I hope and pray it is as fun as you seem to make it all sound!  I am loving my CD and thank you again.. my daughter and I listen to it together, she is 10 and full of good cheer... it is good to have special stories/songs to share!!! Thanks many times, Debbie
 
Thanks for autographing our CD. That CD's been a great treat to our family. The Hoobeeyohs Story was truly enjoyed right at Halloween, too! It is good to know ya!
 
 
 
     My name is Christine Howard,.  I am the Children's Librarian at the Jasper Public Library.  I have been there almost 13 years and have known Gary Wittmann the whole time I've worked there.
     When I took over doing the children's programs, Gary had already been coming there for some time before me.  He always does annual Ghost Stories in October for the Library.  Our patrons always remember Gary coming every year for this event.  The kids have even gotten to the point where they are asking Gary to do certain stories for them.  They remember them from year to year.  One reason I believe they enjoy his stories so much is his tremendous amount of energy that he shows when telling the stories.  The children love the way he dances around the floor or yells out during the stories!
     Since Gary lives locally, that is another reason people are so familiar with his stortelling.  He has done stortelling with many other groups in Jasper also.  I will hear kids say when he's at the library that they remember him from their Boy Scout troop for example.
     Gary also comes to the library in the summertime to do a couple of programs for our Summer Reading Program.  Gary is very well prepared every year because he plans his stories around our theme.  I've had people in the summer also ask me, "Are you going to have Gary Wittmann again this summer?  My kids love his stories."
      As you can see, Gary is a very welcome face at the Jasper Public Library.  The staff has gotten to know him well over the years, and as long as Gary is doing his storytelling, we plan to have him continue here also.  Thank you very much.  Christine Howard
     Thank you for coming to the Jasper Public Library on July 11th.  My boys had a good time. We really like the King, Rooster and Diamond story.  I think the kids really enjoyed being able to participate in your stories and songs.  
Sincerely, Mrs. Schmitt
Gary put on a great show for the children on the waiting list at Big Brothers Big Sisters.  He was very enthusiastic and entertaining.  The kids really got involved and loved the show.  
Melissa Wagler  Big Brothers Big Sisters  Executive Director.
Teacher of the Year: Gary Wittmann from the Learning Disabilities Association 2007
Gary is a special education teacher at Forest Park High School with the Southeast Dubois County School  Corporation in city of Jasper.  Over his teaching career, he has been admired by his colleagues, students and their  parents for his ability to create unique learning environments in and out of the classroom and for helping his students learn and excel well beyond what was expect of them.  Gary is a musician, an avid writer and a well-known storyteller in his community. He has used these talents to develop a variety of educational programs that use these “arts” that effectively address each student’s learning needs and strengths and help them achieve their goal of graduating from high school with a diploma and prepare them for entry into adulthood.  Gary’s dedication and passion for teaching has reached outside of the standard classroom.  He has worked with young adults in the correctional system and has the ability to “connect” with them and help them see that they can make positive changes in their lives and pursue a
better life academically, behaviorally and socially.  He has developed a website for poetry and storytelling and is currently working on a children’s book he hopes to have published next year when he retires from teaching
Ferdinand teacher wins top honor
Wittman named Teacher of the Year
By John Martin
Thursday, December 6, 2007
 
An Evansville native who has taught special education at Ferdinand's Forest Park High School for 30 years is being honored by the Learning Disabilities Association of Indiana as its 2007 Teacher of the Year.
 
Gary Wittmann, 54, received the award last week.
 
Rock Emmert, a speech teacher at Forest Park, said in a letter nominating Wittmann for the statewide award that "his innovative ideas give his students greater ownership and purpose beyond more conventional lesson plans."
 
Forest Park student Ryan Kempf said Wittmann takes great joy in the successes of students.
 
"When one of his students has success, he rejoices with them. He also is sad when one of his students is not performing in a way he knows is possible," Kempf said.
 
Wittmann started Forest Park's special education program and also helped start the school's wrestling program.
 
The graduate of the University of Southern Indiana and Indiana State University worked with the Hoosier Forest Service to incorporate special education students into work sites.
 
He was a member of Forest Park's first crisis team, an active member and one-time president of the local chapter of Council for Exceptional Children and a speech instructor for Vincennes University's Jasper campus.
 
Wittmann was a Dale Carnegie instructor for 10 years and was the first special education teacher to work with the Branchville Correctional Facility's GED program.
 
Wittmann, who is also a professional storyteller, plans to retire from Forest Park in May.
 
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
June 18, 2010 - WITZ WANTS TO COVER SOME OF THE POSITIVE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. TODAY OUR SPOTLIGHT FOCUS IS GARY WITTMANN.
GARY WITTMANN OF JASPER RECEIVED THE EXTRAORDINARY ACTION AWARD LAST MONTH FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS AFTER SAVING A WOMANS LIFE IN 2009.
WITTMANN WENT TO EAT AT THE GREAT WALL CHINESE RESTAURANT WHEN HE INSTINCTIVELY FOUND HIMSELF GIVING A CHOKING WOMAN THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER, ULTIMATELY SAVING HER LIFE.
WITTMANN WAS ASKED TO ATTEND A DUBOIS COUNTY AMERICAN RED CROSS MEETING, WHERE HE WAS GIVEN THE AWARD FOR HIS HEROIC EFFORTS.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS TO GARY WITTMANN. IF YOU KNOW OF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT’S MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY SEND US AN EMAIL AT WITZAMFM@PSCI.NET.
 
 
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