At an award ceremony held at the State Capitol Rotunda last Tuesday Beth Erickson, an Albert Lea School District speech and language pathologist, was presented the STAR Program Assistive Technology Award for Excellence.

The award was granted in recognition of her demonstrated excellence as a leader in the area of assistive technology by the Minnesota Department of Administration and presented on that day by Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau.

STAR stands for System of Technology to Achieve Results and is funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration. District 27A Rep. Robin Brown and District 27 Sen. Dan Sparks attended the award presentation.

Erickson has served as a speech and language pathologist for the past 17 years in Albert Lea. She has been active in the area of assistive technology at a local district level, regional level and state level for an even longer. She serves as the district assistive technology coordinator.

As part of her job duties she evaluates, consults and recommends a variety of assistive technology devices and uses for students with disabilities while also maintaining the district&8217;s extensive classroom amplification systems.

At the regional level she serves as the chairwoman of the Region 10 Assistive Technology Network, which encompasses all school districts in southeast Minnesota. In addition, she also has served on the Minnesota Department of Education State Assistive Technology Team for 15 years while working in Albert Lea schools and previously in northwest Minnesota.

The State Assistive Technology Team serves as the leadership group for assistive technology practices in all the school districts in Minnesota.

The Albert Lea School District congratulated Erickson for receiving this well-deserved award and for the time and effort she commits in this area for students with disabilities in need of assistive technology.