Linden High's Maria Pereira Colish Wins NJSBA Award in Atlantic City

According to Linden Public Schools' announcement.

A lot of good work in a school happens quietly, among the bookshelves. One Linden librarian's work has now earned statewide recognition.

Maria Pereira Colish, the library and media information specialist at Linden High School, received the New Jersey School Boards Association's Unsung Superheroes in Education Award on Tuesday morning, Oct. 20. She is an LHS alumna. “We are just proud of Maria to represent Linden Public Schools as a Tiger,” Superintendent Dr. Atiya Y. Perkins said.

Colish was honored in the librarian/media specialist category, one of 12 recipients recognized in the Achievement Arena at the Atlantic City Convention Center. The ceremony came on the second day of Workshop 2026, the NJSBA conference that ran Oct. 19 to 22 under the theme “Charting the Path, Empowering Journeys.”

Laura Venezio, the district's K-12 English language arts supervisor, nominated Colish. “It was a pleasure to nominate her, and I was thrilled when she won,” Venezio said. She attended with Perkins and Assistant Superintendent Annabell Louis.

Colish runs an after school book club where students talk, connect and grow through literature. She works with teachers to support instruction, recommend resources and promote literacy. Beyond the LHS Library Learning Commons, she serves as Kean Scholar Academy liaison and coordinates the International Baccalaureate program's Creativity, Activity, Service component, known as CAS.

“Maria has transformed the library into a dynamic hub of learning, creativity and collaboration that inspires students and supports teachers every day,” NJSBA Executive Director and CEO Dr. Timothy Purnell said in presenting the award. Venezio sees that work up close. “She works so hard for our district, as well as our department,” she said.

Colish took the honor with modesty. “I’m feeling honored. It feels nice to be recognized for sure,” she said. “But, you know, I always say, I don’t do anything different than so many.”

Now in their fourth year, the awards spotlight school employees whose work often happens behind the scenes. The other 11 honorees came from areas such as bus transportation, cafeteria and food services, crossing guards, school nursing and security. “They are the heartbeat of our schools,” Purnell said.

The district's announcement does not say how long Colish has worked at LHS, what the award includes, how honorees are chosen or when the book club meets. It also lists no district contact. Back at LHS, the library, the book club and the work with teachers carry on.

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Source: Linden Public Schools

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