Distinguished Educator Award

In recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week, the Wasatch Education Foundation awarded 14 Wasatch County School District Educators with the "Distinguished Educator of the Year" Award in May 2022, each receiving $11,500 in funds contributed from private donors within the Heber Valley. Awards were presented as a surprise to the recipients in their classrooms between Wednesday, May 4 and Friday, May 6, with family, friends, students and colleagues joining in on the celebration.

In its second year, the Foundation's Distinguished Educator Award received nominations from students, staff and community members, with more than 700 nominations received across nine school sites. One award was presented to a classroom teacher at each of five elementary schools, two at each middle school, one at the online Wasatch Learning Academy, and four at Wasatch High School.

Each recipient met the strict criteria outlined by the award, which includes:

• An instructor currently teaching students in the classroom
• Dedication to student learning and welfare
• “Works to Teach” and shows concern for all children in the classroom, regardless of level of learning ability, background, ethnicity, or gender
• Excels in knowledge of subject matter and the ability to teach it
• Takes continuing education courses to continually better his/her professional ability in the classroom
• Has a creative approach that captures kids’ attention and sparks their desire to learn
• Goes above and beyond to inspire and educate
• Is a good employee, arrives on time, and is dependable to administration, district leadership and fellow staff
• Works well and communicates effectively with parents
• Is at minimum a third-year teacher within the District and school

The 2021-22 Wasatch Education Foundation Distinguished Educators were:

Daniels Canyon Elementary
Mary Hall

Heber Valley Elementary
Anay Marquez-Garcia

J.R. Smith Elementary
Yoomi Witkamp

Midway Elementary

Amy Castro

Old Mill Elementary
Christine Smith

Rocky Mountain Middle School
Garrett Jones

Shannon Mecham

Timpanogos Middle School
Nicolle McCullough

Trevor Wagstaff

Wasatch High School
Casey Dudley

Brad Foster

Kim Foy

Jonathan Welling

Wasatch Learning Academy
LeAnne Evans

Donations for future Distinguished Educator awards can be made at https://bit.ly/DistinguishedEducatorWasatch