September 2017 - 30

Hometown Hero

Enid Roitman named ABTA Teacher of the year

BY BRENT MANLEY

Enid Roitman taught elemenActive in her community, she
tary school for 34 years before
regularly participates in fundstarting a second career as a
raisers for Wellspring Medical
bridge teacher, and she showed
Center in downtown Toronto.
she has what it takes in the bridge
She cares about her students,
teaching profession, earning 2017
one of whom described Roitman
Teacher of the Year honors from
as "a gifted teacher with a wonthe American Bridge Teachers'
derful sense of humor."
Association. The announcement
Outgoing ABTA President
was made at the Summer NABC,
Patty Tucker praised Roitman,
fittingly in Roitman's home town
saying, "Enid is one of the most
of Toronto.
hard-working teachers I know.
Roitman started her career
She is unflappable and always
switch by teaching bridge at varithere to do what is necessary. No
ous clubs. Today, she teaches four
matter how difficult something
to six classes per week, including
is, she always comes through."
some at golf and country clubs,
Betty Starzec, who took over
private groups in homes and at the
as ABTA president on Aug. 1,
Royal Ontario Museum.
echoed Tucker's sentiments.
As an elementary school
"Enid is so detail-oriented, it's
teacher, she participated in a prounbelievable."
gram called "Reading Buddies," in
In accepting the award,
which her third-grade students
Roitman said she feels like
Enid Roitman, right, winner of the American Bridge
were paired with kindergartners
Susan Lucci, the soap opera star
Teachers' Association Teacher of the Year Award for 2017,
each week. The third-graders read
who won an Emmy after being
with Joyce Penn, chairman of the ABTA's
to the younger students.
nominated 18 times. Roitman
Teacher of the Year Committee.
The success of that program
was nominated for the teacher
inspired Roitman to teach bridge to kids as an extracurricu- award twice before winning. More seriously, she said, "I'm
lar activity. She oversaw that program for a decade, dubbing
thrilled to win this award."
it "Bridge Buddies," and ran tournaments for children at
Roitman was one of nine finalists for the teacher award.
Barbara Seagram's club, the Kate Buckman Studio. In that
The others:
effort, experienced players volunteered to play with the
⦁ Robert Barrington, New York NY
children for an afternoon. The students went on to partici⦁ Joann Glasson, Pennington NJ
pate in the first ACBL School Duplicate Bridge Tournament,
⦁ Bruce Greenspan, Bonita Springs FL
which took place across the U.S. and Canada in 1995.
⦁ Josee Hammill, Toronto ON
In 1999, Roitman began teaching bridge on cruise ships,
⦁ Henry Meguid, Chapel Hill NC
where she met Gerry Fox, who became one of her fans. Said
⦁ Jim Ricker, Knoxville TN
Fox, "Enid is simply perfect for cruise teaching. She has a
⦁ Kathy Rolfe, Lake Winnebago MO
long history of retaining just about everyone who crosses
⦁ Grant Robinson, Dublin CA
her path on the ship. She is a star performer and marvelous
ambassador for the game of bridge, setting a standard that is
In other news
very difficult to meet."
Roitman's philosophy is "to make my students feel comBook of the Year awards: At its meetings in Toronto,
fortable and to help them have fun learning. I do not encour- the ABTA recognized two recently published works. Bill
age people to memorize anything that they don't underTreble's "Defending at Bridge: A First Course" won the
stand. I do lots of reviewing and try to keep things simple.
Shirley Silverman Book of the Year award for the Beginner/
I recognize that people have different learning styles, and
Novice category, while Eric Rodwell's "Bidding Topics" took
often concepts need to be presented in a variety of ways."
the top honors for the Intermediate/Advanced division.

30 Bridge Bulletin September 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2017