January 8, 2009
Karla Denny, Director of Communications, 785-296-4876
2009 Horizon Award Program Recognizes
32 Kansas Educators
TOPEKA, January 9, 2009/Thirty-two beginning educators from around the state were named 2009 Kansas Horizon Award recipients. The Kansas Horizon Awards are sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education. The award recognizes exemplary first-year educators.
The Horizon Award program, currently in its seventh year, allows all school districts in the state an opportunity to nominate one elementary and one secondary teacher for the award. To be eligible for a Horizon Award, teachers must have successfully completed their first year of teaching and have performed in such a way as to distinguish themselves as outstanding. The Horizon Award program is a regional competition with four regions corresponding to the state’s U.S. Congressional districts. Four elementary and four secondary classroom teachers may be selected for the award from each region.
Recipients of the 2009 Kansas Horizon Award were notified of their selection by
Dr. Alexa Posny, Kansas Commissioner of Education. Posny remarked, “I am delighted to offer my congratulations to the recipients. These awardees are working tirelessly in the classrooms of Kansas to ensure the future of our next generation. I am proud to call them colleagues.”
The 2009 Kansas Horizon Award recipients will be recognized at a special luncheon during the Kansas Exemplary Educator Network (KEEN) State Education Conference on February 20, 2009. This year’s recipients are:
Region 1: Rene Burns, O’Loughlin Elementary School, Hays USD 489; Heidi Cabral, Eisenhower Elementary School, Great Bend USD 428; Daniel Dinkel, Sheridan Elementary School, Geary County USD 475; Gena Langley, Riverside Elementary School, Emporia USD 253; Brandi Lundgren, Junction City Middle School, Geary County USD 475; Tiffany Shogren, Emporia Middle School, Emporia USD 253; Teresa Sindelar, Buhler High School, Buhler USD 313; Lisa Twombly, Hiawatha Middle School, Hiawatha USD 415
Region 2:. Janie Anthony, Riley County High School, Riley County USD 378; Jodie Berve, Louisburg High School, Louisburg USD 416; Maeghan Bishop, Washburn Rural High School, Auburn Washburn USD 437; Catherine Dake, Central Elementary School, Wamego USD 320; Constance Hanika, Highland Park Central Elementary School, Topeka USD 501; Amanda Provorse, Washburn Rural Middle School, Auburn Washburn USD 437; Jamie Wagner, Tecumseh North Elementary School, Tecumseh USD 450; Andrew Wesner, Paola High School, Paola USD 368
Region 3: Audrey Baker, Pioneer Ridge Middle School, Gardner Edgerton USD 231; David Davis, Harmony Middle School, Blue Valley USD 229; Chaussee Druen, Trailridge Middle School, Shawnee Mission USD 512; Molly Dykman, Delaware Ridge Elementary School, Bonner Springs USD 204, Kris Munsch, Bonner Springs High School, Bonner Springs USD 204; Kate Phillips, Liberty View Elementary School, Blue Valley USD 229; Amanda Vail, Prairie Park Elementary School, Lawrence USD 497; Katie Weil, Gardner Edgerton High School, Gardner Edgerton USD 231
Region 4: Megan Belisle, Jefferson Elementary School, Wichita USD 259; Jessica Bloyd, Haysville Middle School, Haysville USD 261; April Davis, Freeman Elementary School, Haysville USD 261; Emily Huelskamp, Andover Central High School, Andover USD 385; Jacy Kile, Garfield Elementary School, Augusta USD 402; Dustin Murray, Andover Middle School, Andover USD 385; Kristin Tombaugh, Santa Fe Middle School, Newton USD 373; Blake Vargas, El Dorado Middle School, El Dorado USD 490
As recipients of the Kansas Horizon Award, these educators are invited to join the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network (KEEN), a network of educators from around the state who have been formally recognized for exemplary performance. Members of KEEN have an opportunity to network with other outstanding educators and participate in a number of professional development programs throughout the year.
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