More than 35 metro-east educators honored with state awards
Every year, educators across the state are honored by the Illinois State Board of Education with awards, and more than 35 in the metro-east are among the recipients for 2024.
The awards program, which has been sponsored by the state board since 1970, is divided into two categories: the “Illinois Teacher of the Year” cohort and the “Those Who Excel” awards.
There are three different awards in the latter category: the Award of Excellence, the Award of Special Recognition and the Award of Meritorious Service.
“These awards recognize the vital and exceptionally talented professionals who have dedicated their lives and careers to education across Illinois,” State Superintendent Tony Sanders said in a news release Tuesday afternoon announcing the 2024 award recipients.
“They have chosen to aim their considerable talents and passion toward giving back to their communities, uplifting young people, and shaping our collective future for the better.”
Last year Briana Morales, an English teacher at Gordon Bush Alternative Center in East St. Louis School District 189, was named 2023 Illinois Teacher of the Year, the highest honor for educators in the state.
With the award comes a one-year paid sabbatical, during which Morales has toured the state and country for speaking engagements with fellow educators and founded (Sister)Hood of Hope, a nonprofit supporting girls of color in East St. Louis and Chicago in honor of one of her former students, Da’Miya Brown. Morales is also pursuing her doctorate in education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“Being named the Illinois Teacher of the Year has been the honor of a lifetime,” Morales said in the news release.
“The opportunity to engage with educators and their communities across each region of our great state has filled me with such joy as I have seen firsthand the unwavering passion and dedication to our greatest assets — our students — through innovative programs and practices that meet young people where they are and take them to where they need to be. All educators deserve to be highlighted and celebrated for the tireless, phenomenal work they do each day.”
This year, 37 metro-east educators have been honored with one of the three “Those Who Excel” awards.
In other education award news, Brian Mentzer, superintendent of Belleville Township High School District 201, was recently recognized as the 2024 Superintendent of Distinction by the Southwest Region of the Illinois Association of School Administrators.
Bond, Clinton, Monroe and Washington counties
Susan Hall, teacher in Mulberry Grove 1, Award for Meritorious Service
Tom Siegler, administrator in Bartelso 57, Award of Special Recognition
Colleen Kunz, teacher in Bartelso 57, Award for Meritorious Service
Evelyn Schrand, teacher in Breese 12, Award for Meritorious Service
Kurt Steve, educational service personnel in Columbia 4, Award of Special Recognition
Greg Baird, teacher at Career Center of Southern Illinois, Award for Meritorious Service
Sara Kollbaum, teacher in Nashville 99, Award for Meritorious Service
Joshua Berg, teacher in West Washington County 10, Award for Meritorious Service
Madison County
Melissa Edwards, administrator in Edwardsville 7, Award of Special Recognition
Gretchen Hertz, teacher in Edwardsville 7, Award for Meritorious Service
Dorothy Mosby, administrator in Madison 12, Award for Meritorious Service
Kimberly Moore, administrator in Madison 12, Award of Special Recognition
Beth Luttrell, administrator in Triad 2, Award of Special Recognition
C.A. Henning PE Department at Triad 2, Award of Special Recognition
Sarah Wheat, early career educator in Alton 11, Award of Special Recognition
Kris Hagen, student support personnel in Wood River-Hartford 15, Award for Meritorious Service
Katie Miller, teacher in Collinsville 10, Award for Meritorious Service
Ashley Whiteford, teacher in East Alton 13, Award of Special Recognition
Charles Noud, teacher in Granite City 9, Award for Meritorious Service
Linda Ames, teacher in Granite City 9, Award for Meritorious Service
St. Clair County
Quanshanda Nicholson, administrator in East St. Louis 189, Award of Excellence
Kimberly Allen, administrator in East St. Louis 189, Award of Meritorious Service
Jordyn Rubin, early career educator in East St. Louis 189, Award of Excellence
Tammy Gibson, educational service personnel in East St. Louis 189, Award of Meritorious Service
Brittney Brown, educational service personnel in East St. Louis 189, Award of Meritorious Service
Wesley Hollis, educational service personnel in East St. Louis 189, Award of Special Recognition
Chea Wyatt, student support personnel in East St. Louis 189, Award of Meritorious Service
Michale Ward, teacher in East St. Louis 189, Award of Meritorious Service
Officer Elementary Instructional Leadership Team in East St. Louis 189, Award of Excellence
Adrianne Neville, teacher at St. Teresa Catholic School in Belleville, Award of Meritorious Service
Dana Koch, teacher in Belleville 201, Award of Meritorious Service
Alicia Hiller, teacher in Marissa 40, Award of Meritorious Service
Paige Sauer, teacher in Marissa 40, Award of Special Recognition
Susan Schaefer, teacher in Marissa 40, Award of Special Recognition
Michelle Dippel, teacher in O’Fallon 90, Award of Special Recognition
Sasha Courtney, teacher in Smithton 130, Award of Meritorious Service
Ashley Brown, teacher in Whiteside 115, Award of Meritorious Service
