Pamela Pleszewski is this year’s winner of the Dunkirk City School District’s William T. Colman Award.

The award goes to a deserving retiring teacher with at least 10 years of experience in the school district. It was started in 1973 using a trust fund established in Colman’s will.

Pleszewski, the 51st winner of the award, is getting $15,000 for it.

“This is such an honor for me because my heart has been in Dunkirk schools for over 40 years, and it means so much to me to receive,” she said to the Dunkirk Board of Education. “Thank you so much to everybody.”