Kentucky Board of Education holds 2022 Educator Excellence Recognition

The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) held its 2022 Educator Excellence Recognition luncheon during its June 8 meeting in Frankfort.

Educators in grades K-12 were honored, with over 40 of the teachers attending the ceremony. Awards included Middle-High School Teacher of the Year (TOY), Outstanding Administrator of the Year, Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, Outstanding School Media Librarian, and others.

Award recipients and their guests attended from across the Commonwealth to celebrate their accomplishments as facilitators of learning.

“We are honored by your presence here today, and we want to honor you for the great work that you’ve been doing,” said KBE chair Lu S. Young. “The profession is getting harder and harder all the time. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly more critical and important that we have people like you in classrooms, in schools and school districts across this Commonwealth.”

The educators recognized by the KBE are:            

• Bobby Ray Bennett – Middlesboro High School (Bell County), 2021-2022 Administrator of the Year;
• Julie Lucky – Harrison County Middle School, 2021-2022 Middle School Teacher of the Year;
• Gerald W. Morris – McLean County High School, Earl C. Clements Innovation in Education Award for Civics and History Teachers;
• Jennifer Barlow – Burgin Independent, Earl C. Clements Innovation in Education Award for Civics and History Teachers;
• Cindy Hundley – Gutermuth Elementary (Jefferson County), Kentucky Semifinalist for TOY from an elementary school;
• Melissa Huff – Stephens Elementary (Boone County), Elementary Level Art Educator of the Year;
• Ashley Ritchie – Beechwood Elementary (Kenton County), Elementary School TOY winner;
• Jamie Reagan – Bell Elementary (Wayne County), Elementary Level Art Educator of the Year;
• Jodie Susanne Carnes – Lynn Camp School (Knox County), TOY high school semifinalist;
• Jayna Fox – Oldham County High School, TOY for high school;
• Matthew Haynes – Southern High (Jefferson County), High School-Valvoline Teacher Achievement Awards;
• Kayla Godbey – Kentucky Association of Career and Technical Education (KACTE) Administrator of the Year;
• Anna Sullinger – Beaumont Middle School (Fayette County), KACTE Carl Perkins Community Service Award 2021;
• Elizabeth Crump – Jessamine County Career Technology Center, KACTE Teacher Educator of the Year 2021;
• Velda Kissick – Paraprofessional at Bluegrass Discovery Academy, Rowan County;
• Robby Asberry – Kentucky Principal of the Year, Ohio County High School;
• Marty Pollio – Kentucky Superintendent of the Year, Jefferson County;
• Elena Kamenetzky – ACTFL National Teacher of the Year 2021, KWLA Outstanding Teacher of the Year 2020-21, Eastern High School, Jefferson County;
• Tracy Rucker – KWLA Outstanding Teacher of the Year 2021-22, Louisville Collegiate (Jefferson County);
• Jimmy Pack – KySTE Impact Technology Support Staff of the Year, Franklin County;
• Ryan New – Meece Award, Jefferson County;
• Jason Hand – Semifinalist for TOY, Stuart Academy (Jefferson County);
• Melanie Callahan – Middle School Teacher of the Year, South Laurel Middle School (Laurel County);
• Heather Dipasquale – 2022 Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Todd County Middle School;
• Jo Anne Pennington – 2022 Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Conner Middle School;
• Hallie Booth – Kentucky Middle School Teacher of the Year, Ballyshannon Middle School (Boone County);
• Kevin J. Dailey – Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, Ballyshannon Middle School;
• Jessica Goodman – Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, Farmers Elementary (Jefferson County);
• Laura Arnold – 2020 National Career and Technical Administrator of the Year, Nelson County;
• Lauren Williams – 2022 New Career and Technical Teacher of the Year finalist, McCracken County High School;
• Cydney Conley – Northern Kentucky Anthem Education Excellence Award, Kathryn Winn Primary School (Carroll County);
• Erin Wallace – Outstanding School Media Librarian, Dunn Elementary (Jefferson County);
• Eddie Groves – Outstanding Social Studies Teacher of the Year, Ohio County;
• Priscilla Marie Keller – Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, Ballard County Elementary School;
• Nova Pleman – Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, Fayette County;
• Christy Pellerin – Special Education Teacher of the Year, Collins Elementary (Boone County);
• Julie Harwood – Special Needs Champion Art Educator of the Year, Larry A. Ryle High School (Boone County);
• Sara Hall – Western Kentucky Anthem Education Excellence Award, Natcher Elementary (Warren County);
• Jennifer Ellington – Western Kentucky Anthem Education Excellence Award, Lone Oak Elementary (McCracken County);
• David Brian McDowell – 2020 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mason County Middle School;
• Patrick Kennedy – KY Shape Award, Elementary Physical Education, Garrard County;
• Jordan Manley – KY Shape Award, High School Physical Education, STEAM Academy (Fayette County);
• Casey Page – KY Shape Award, High School Physical Education, Shelby County;
• Carrie Ripy – KySTE Impact Leader of the Year, Owen County;
• Melissa Tobin – KySTE Impact Teacher of the Year, Caverna Elementary School (Caverna Independent);
• Shad Lacefield – Kentucky Science Teachers Association (KSTA), Elementary Teacher of the Year, Garden Springs Elementary (Fayette County);
• Randy Bricken – Lexington Central Anthem Education Excellence Award, Campbellsville Elementary School (Campbellsville Independent);
• Stephanie Wells – Lexington Central Anthem Education Excellence Award, Southside Elementary School (Woodford County);
• Brenda Fairchild – Eastern Kentucky Anthem Education Excellence Award, Johnson County Middle School;
• Jason Knott – Eastern Kentucky Anthem Education Excellence Award, Johnson Central High School (Johnson County);
• Jessica Stinson – Greater Louisville Anthem Education Excellence Award, Noe Middle School (Jefferson County);
• Lauren Graham – Greater Louisville Anthem Education Excellence Award, St. Francis School;
• Amber Moore – Northern Kentucky Anthem Education Excellence Award, Crittenden-Mt. Zion Elementary (Grant County);
• Marisol Martin – Kentucky World Language Association (KWLA) Outstanding Rising Star Teacher, Liberty Elementary (Fayette County);
• Andrew Terry – KWLA Outstanding Administrator of the Year, Anchorage Independent;
• Rebecca Dahlstrom – KY Council for Exceptional Children Outstanding Special Education Administrator of the Year, Fayette County;
• Heather Bushelman – Kentucky School Counselor Association Kentucky Counselor of the Year 2020-21;
• Lauren Coffey – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Elementary School, W.R. McNeill Elementary (Bowling Green Independent);
• Kandi Dawson – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, KY Semifinalist for TOY, Murray Elementary (Murray Independent);
• Nick Harris – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Madison Kindergarten Academy (Madison County);
• Miranda Newland – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Semifinalist for TOY, Campbell Elementary (Raceland-Worthington Independent);
• Anna Schneider – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Pleasant Grove Elementary (Bullitt County);
• Troy Chafin – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Woodford County Middle;
• Morgan Preston – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Semifinalist for TOY, Corbin Middle (Corbin Independent);
• Steffanie Skiles – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, McKell Middle (Greenup County);
• Judy Trunnell – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, College View Middle (Daviess County);
• Margaret Lynn Brewer – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Great Crossing High (Scott County);
• Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr. – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, 2022 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, Montgomery County High;
• Jessica Gels – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Rise Academy (Boone County);
• Jennifer Howard – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Russellville High (Russellville Independent);
• Aaron Klausing – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Owensboro High (Owensboro Independent);
• Jennifer Sims – Kentucky Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, Semifinalist for TOY, Hart County High;
• Kaysin Higgins – 2020 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics, North Calloway Elementary School (Calloway County);
• Ashley Rogers – National New Career and Technical Teacher of the Year 2022, Nicholas County Middle and High School;
• Tammy Camel – 2021 National Career and Technical Carl Perkins Community Service Award, Rockcastle County High School;
• Ginny Ellington, Retired – KACTE 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award;
• Tara Wolfenbarger Poe – KACTE 2021 New Career and Technical Teacher of the Year, Bourbon County High School;
• Dale Julian – Kentucky Music Educators Association 2021–2022 Elementary School Teacher of the Year, Clark Elementary School (Paducah Independent);
• Joe Craig – Kentucky Music Educators Association 2021–2022 High School Teacher of the Year, Ryle High School (Boone County);
• Hillary McWhorter – Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, Glendover Elementary (Fayette County);
• Amie Kising – Kentucky Theatre Association Drama Teacher of the Year, Lafayette High School (Fayette County);
• Paula Rust – Kentucky Education Support Staff Professionals Award, Kenton County Schools;
• Brandi Borgemenke – Kentucky Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts Elementary Teacher of the Year, Gallatin County Lower Elementary;
• Holli Hunt – Kentucky Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts Administrator of the Year, Gallatin County Middle School;
• Kandice Kilcoyne – Kentucky Art Education Association Middle Level Art Educator of the Year, Drakes Creek Middle School (Warren County);
• Staci Goggins – Kentucky Art Education Association Art Educator of the Year, Rosenwald-Dunbar Elementary (Jessamine County);
• Marilyn Peters, Retired – Art Educator of the Year;
• Ellen McFall – Kentucky Association of School Librarians Outstanding School Media Librarian, Lebanon Elementary School (Marion County);
• Brandon Stropko – Kentucky Art Education Association Secondary Level Educator of the Year, Ryle High School;
• Bobby Bennett – Kentucky Music Educators Association 2021–2022 Administrator of the Year, Middlesboro High School; and
• Julie Lucky – Kentucky Music Educators Association 2021–2022 Middle School Teacher of the Year, Harrison County Middle School.