CUMBERLAND - Erin DeLong's hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed - she has been selected as the Allegany County winner of the 2008 Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Award.

"I am very excited for the school and for the (academic endowment fund) organization that fostered my nomination," said DeLong, who will be honored in Annapolis on Thursday. At the awards ceremony, six semifinalists and the overall state winner will be named.

The awards program is a collaboration with the Maryland State Department of Education that recognizes parents, guardians and parent groups for their work in support of Maryland public education.

The Crellin Corps of Discovery Parent Group was selected as the Garrett County winner.

As co-founder and vice president of the Allegany High School Academic Endowment Fund, DeLong has organized several events to support academic achievement, and in the process, has managed to increase parent involvement at the school.

The fund sponsors three main events: the honors reception, which is held at the beginning of the school year to inform parents and students about honors and advanced placement programs; College 101, a county-wide event that provides students and parents with information about the college application process and financial aid procedures; and Celebrate Allegany!, an annual fundraiser that features musical performances and an auction of student-made items.

"The Academic Endowment Fund is what I consider to be an academic booster club," said Allegany High School Principal Mike Calhoun, who nominated DeLong. "Her involvement in this organization has increased parent involvement in the school, and the funds we've been able to raise through events have benefited all students at Allegany High School academically."

DeLong said the accomplishments would not have been possible without her friend and endowment fund co-founder, Kimi-Scott McGreevy.

"I couldn't do all this without her help and support," said DeLong.

DeLong has always had a passion for serving the community - she even received the most outstanding service to school award when she was a high school student. Since returning to the area in 1997, DeLong has been a regular attendee at the Allegany County Board of Education meetings.

"I think I came back with a fresh eye," said DeLong, who lived in Harrisburg, Pa., Albuquerque, N.M., and Scranton, Pa., before returning to the county after 20 years." I had seen other school systems and the opportunities they had that were taken for granted but are seen here as being over-the-top luxuries. Just because we live in a poor county doesn't mean our kids don't deserve opportunities.

A computer lab for the English and social studies departments, field trips, summer reading novels for the advanced placement literature class, a refrigerator for the science department and LCD projectors are among the items and opportunities that have been funded by the endowment fund.

"I believe the public education system is essential to community revitalization and that we have to make our public schools really strong," said DeLong.

"Mrs. DeLong has demonstrated a true concern for providing the highest quality of education possible to the children of Allegany County," said Allegany County Board of Education member Tom Striplin.

"Erin DeLong could be the poster child for the Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Award. Communication, volunteering, learning, decision-making and community collaboration is the perfect description of what Mrs. DeLong has been doing in Allegany County for 10 years," said former board member Tim Woodring.

DeLong is the mother of two sons, Tyler, a 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Richmond, and Casey, a 16-year-old sophomore at Allegany High School. She resides in Cumberland with her husband, Dave, who she said is "extremely supportive of her school involvement."

In her spare time, she enjoys going for walks with her collie, Mia.

The state winner will be awarded $1,000, and semifinalists will receive $250 each to benefit their public school systems.

DeLong said if she wins, she would like to put the money toward establishing a language lab or making improvements to the school's theater.

Contact Jennifer Raley at jraley@times-news.com.