Readers vote for what they like best
Local newspaper announces winners of the Renton Reporter's Best of Renton 2004 contest.

April 21, 2004—The Renton Reporter today announced winners of the eighth annual Best of Renton contest. Readers and others voted for their favorite Renton people and sites in on-line polling. Categories included Best Teacher, Best School, Best Boss, and more. A total of 282 ballots were received. The contest was sponsored by Renton Village Thriftway and the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train. Here are winners (and comments by the editor of the Renton Reporter) in the school-related categories:

Best Teacher
Chris Renfrew, Renton Park Elementary
Honestly, every teacher is great, but Renfrew, a fourth-grade teacher at Renton Park, edged out others receiving votes in this category. She’s been a teacher in the Renton School District for 29 years. “She is just an exceptional teacher,” said Associate Superintendent for Elementary Education Vera Risdon. “... (The students) grow amazingly because she helps them understand that they can.”

Best Boss
Joe Budde, Cascade Elementary School
Named Best Principal while serving at Tiffany Park Elementary in 1997, Budde has been with the Renton School District since 1973. This year, he was voted Best Boss, though he doesn’t have much time left. He plans on retiring at the end of the school year. “He is wonderful, and he is retiring, and I am truly going to miss him,” Risdon said. “He has a wry wit that can bring levity to the grimmest situation and help people find creative solutions.”

Best School
Renton High School
Coming on the heels of a fourth-place finish at the 3A state basketball tournament, Renton High School wins the coveted best school crown. The high school has always been a focal point of downtown, but in recent years it was upgraded to the tune of $4.5 million and contains a new library, commons area, classrooms as well as the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center.

Best Nonprofit Organization
Communities in Schools of Renton
Communities in Schools of Renton may have won the category, but the real winners are those whose lives are helped by the organization. Its mentor program places at-risk youths in a one-on-one setting with role models, and its family liaison program has prevented many from falling through the cracks.

Best Community Volunteer
Marcie Maxwell, Renton School Board Member
Name something happening in Renton, and Maxwell likely is involved in it. The president of the Renton School District Board of Directors was named Outstanding Citizen in 2001 for her community work, and with her husband, Steve, she provides grants to those needing assistance through the Maxwell Fund for Youth and Families.
(Marcie also won in the category of Best Realtor.)

Best Police Officer
Officer Steve Ritchie (Nelson Middle School Resource Officer)
Public safety is in Ritchie's blood. He's the son of a former police sergeant, and his long history with the Renton Police Department began in 1980 when he started as a noncommissioned animal control officer. Now he's a school resource officer at Nelsen Middle School in the Renton School District. “He's firm but fair,” said Police Chief Garry Anderson. “He's always been a very hard worker. And he thinks a great deal about the Renton community and is very dedicated to this community.”

To see the winners in all categories, visit http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd=1012.