A total of 162 school staff members were recognized at the 36th Annual Excellence in Education Awards Ceremony held on Thursday.
“We are honored to celebrate with this year's Excellence in Education winners,” said Christopher Dvorak, District Superintendent of District 35 Education. Impact on students. As we celebrate education, we want to thank everyone who helps make a difference in the lives of students. ”
The event was held at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Ottawa and included dinner by Stone Jug Barbecue of Peru and musical entertainment by Steve Sharp.
The following school staff members were recognized. Leland Community Unit 1, Whitney Hart, Educator of the Year. Mandy Hawk, Educator of the Year; Tom Grzanich, Support Staff Award; Serena community unit 2, Raquel Phelps, Educator of the Year. Colleen Connell, Educator of the Year; Chad Marler, Educator of the Year; David Bobby, Educator of the Year; Heidi Detloff, Support Staff Award; Delango Dean's Retired Educator Award; Henry Senach Wine CUSD 5, Isabel Schepke, Educator of the Year. Karin Vickerman, Educator of the Year; Sasha Stilwell, Support Staff Award; Ann Lindstrom, Retired Educator Award; Mary Jo Klein, Officer Achievement Award; Earl Building Community Unit 9, Molly Bredeson, Educator of the Year. Jim Farrell, Educator of the Year; Brandon Skolek, Educator of the Year; Sam Russell, Support Staff Award; Streeter Township High School 40, Ethan Concor, Educator of the Year. Gwen Heimerdinger, Educator of the Year; Sue Grabowski, Support Staff Award; Doug Harris, Retired Educator Award; Dave Marvin, Retired Educator Award; Dan Hercharik, Retirement Support Staff Award; Kathy Hercharik, Retirement Support Staff Award; Streeter Elementary School 44, David Haub, Educator Award. Alison Tutt, Educator of the Year; Sherry Tyne, Educator of the Year; Karen R. Smith, Support Staff Award; Nancy Graco, Retired Educator of the Year Award; Colleen Heinz, Retired Educator Award; Pamela S. Mummer, Retired Educator Award; Jan Urbans, Retired Educator Award; Allen Otter Creek Elementary School 65, Anita Daly, Educator of the Year. Sheri LeRoy, Support Staff Award; Sheri Bergeson, Executive Achievement Award. Tonika Elementary School 79, Heather Arbett, Educator of the Year. Jeff Junker, Support Staff Award; Chuck Schneider, Retired Educator of the Year Award; Deer Park Elementary School 82, Sabrije Fayzoski, Educator Award. Maria Hufnagel, Support Staff Award; Grand Ridge Elementary School 95, Robert Kodula, Educator Award. Samantha Carlson, Educator of the Year; Larry Lin, Support Staff Award; Susan Kruzek, Retired Educator Award; La Salle Peru Township High School 120, Kelly Liebhart, Educator of the Year. Lori Tulchin, Educator of the Year; Natalie Verucchi, Educator of the Year; Scott Leonard, Support Staff Award; John Beatty receives Retired Educator Award. Meg Kowalczyk, Retired Educator of the Year, Dwayne Mengen, Retired Educator of the Year. Pam Engels, Retirement Support Staff Award; Cheryl Wilson, Retirement Support Staff Award; La Salle Elementary School 122, Julie Crowther, Educator of the Year. Madison Hister, Educator of the Year; Abby Schenck, Educator of the Year; Melissa Sylphies, Support Staff Award; Kathleen Doyle, Retired Educator Award; Carla Konietzki receives Retired Educator Award. Becky Tyman, Retirement Support Staff; Lighted Way, April Selvig, Support Staff Award; Peru Elementary School 124, Chris Chris, Educator of the Year. Katie Meyer, Educator of the Year; Sally Etzenbach, Educator of the Year; Jessica Beam, Support Staff Award; Tammy Carey, Retired Educator of the Year and Judy Hubbard, Retired Support Staff of the Year. Oglesby Elementary School 125, Esmeralda Harris, Educator of the Year. Lindsey Olszewski, Educator of the Year. Kim Crook, Support Staff Award; Ottawa Township High School 140, Crystal Johnson, Educator of the Year, Doug Shumway, Educator of the Year, and Tyler Wargo, Educator of the Year. Janet Pearson, Support Staff Award; Kevin Leonhart, Retired Educator of the Year Award; Doug Hahn, Retired Educator Award; Michael Cooper, Retired Educator of the Year, Christy Winchester, Retired Educator of the Year. Ottawa Elementary School 141, Patricia Mezel, Educator of the Year. Erica Heath, Educator of the Year; Jean Sirek, Educator Award; Tracy Rimmel, Educator of the Year. Mary Stevenson, Educator of the Year; Nancy Stevenson, Support Staff Award; Mary Lindig, Retired Educator of the Year, Robert Rowe, Retired Educator of the Year. Tracy Rimmel, Retired Educator of the Year Award; Jamie Terry, Retired Educator Award; Terry Giacomini, Retired Support Staff Award; Seneca Township High School 160, J. Jace Walsh, Educator of the Year. Rebecca Liberatore, Educator of the Year; Christopher Jackson, Support Staff Award; Mike Appleby, Retired Educator of the Year. Sherry Nieman, Retirement Support Staff Award; Seneca Elementary School 170, Tiffany Hughes, Educator of the Year, Cory Yandell, Educator of the Year. Melissa Decker, Educator of the Year; John Vaughan, Support Staff Award; Elizabeth Avila. Support Staff Award; Tiffany Hughes, Retired Educator Award; Wallace Elementary School 195, Heather Dilly, Educator of the Year. TJ Erickson, Educator Award; Jill Bessette, Support Staff Award; Richard Mangold, Officer Achievement Award; Mendota Township High School District 280, Nicole Cromwell, Educator of the Year. Brenda Carvajal, Educator of the Year; Elizabeth Zinke, Educator of the Year. Wesley Sims, Support Staff Award; Sean Roulette, Retired Educator of the Year Award; George Bauer, Retired Educator Award; Jim Strauss, Officer. Jim Lauer, Officer. Mendota Elementary School 289, Rachel Sabin, Educator of the Year. Alison Buettner, Educator of the Year; Lauren Reuter, Educator of the Year; Maureen Hanson, Support Staff Award; Patricia Siembab, Support Staff Award; Putnam County CUSD 535, Michelle Edens, Educator of the Year. Marea Sumaga, Educator Award; Kristin Erickson, Educator of the Year, Megan Ruhl, Educator of the Year. Jeffrey Randle, Support Staff Award; Valerie Peterson, Retired Educator Award; Annette Davis, Retired Educator Award; BMP Special Education Cooperative, Carolyn Jones, Educator Award; La Salle, Marshall, Putnam Regional Office of Education/ROE 35 Academyy, Grant Myers, Educator Award, Hannah DeBernardi, Support Staff Award, Sarah Koziol, Support Staff Award. Caleb Wilson, Support Staff Award; Lease/Circuit Breaker School, Sue Kubera, Educator of the Year. Mike Glenda, Educator of the Year; Lindsay Waldron, Support Staff Award; Colleen Stephens, Support Staff Award; Sue May, Retired Educator Award; Vicki Johnson, Retired Educator of the Year and Steve Thrash, Retired Support Staff. Jacob Faltin-Medina receives posthumous award. SRAVTE/Area Career Center, Robin Partain, Educator of the Year. Katie Shevokas, Support Staff Award, and Dwayne Mengen, Retired Educator Award. holy cross, Sarah Motter, Educator of the Year. Dee Bahr, Support Staff Award. Therese Thomas, Retired Support Staff. lost community unit 425, Holly Rapp, Educator of the Year. Joanna Gilkerson, Support Staff Award; Jacob Faltin-Medina, Posthumous Award Recipient, Ruth Ann Brisguis. posthumous award, Rutland Elementary School 230, Alaina Weatherford, Educator of the Year. Sherry Drake, Support Staff Award; Laura Parks, Retired Educator Award; Mirror community integration 210, Linda Coleman, Educator of the Year. Jamie Morales, Support Staff Award; Michelle Armstrong, Retirement Support Staff Award; Dimick Integrated School 175, Joel Foster, Educator of the Year. Carrie Fanti, Support Staff Award; Lisa Petersen, Retired Educator Award; Waltham Elementary School 185, Ray Bailey, Educator of the Year, Rachel Kinser, Educator of the Year. Tiffany Lewis, Support Staff Award; Kathy Schultz, Retired Educator of the Year Award;
