Jan 07, 2021

🎥UPDATE: Heusner's Bills among 2021 KS Horizon Award recipients

Posted Jan 07, 2021 11:58 PM

TOPEKA — Thirty-two first-year educators from Kansas are being recognized for their outstanding teaching skills through the 2021 Kansas Horizon Award program.

The 2021 Kansas Horizon Award recipients were announced today by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE).

The Kansas Horizon Award program, sponsored by KSDE, gives all school districts in the state an opportunity to nominate one elementary and one secondary teacher for the award. To be eligible for the 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 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 2021 Kansas Horizon Award were notified of their selection by Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson.

“I want to commend these outstanding educators,” Watson said. "Thanks to the pandemic, this group has experienced anything but a typical first year in the teaching profession. And to be singled out by their districts for their extraordinary performance makes me both proud and excited to have them in Kansas classrooms.”

2021 KANSAS HORIZON AWARD RECIPIENTS

Region 1

Larrah Bills, Heusner Elementary School, Salina USD 305

Hanna Lehr, Buhler High School, Buhler USD 313

Shelby Mann, Norton Community High School, Norton Community Schools USD 211

Sam Pahls, Prairie Hills Middle School, Buhler USD 313

Nicholas Preheim, Hutchinson STEM Magnet School at Allen, Hutchinson USD 308

Elizabeth Ratzlaff, Moundridge Middle/High School, Moundridge USD 423

Paige Stewart, Hutchinson Middle School, Hutchinson USD 308

Sarah Wedel, Park Elementary School, Lyons USD 405

Region 2

Spencer Feldkamp, Ottawa High School, Ottawa USD 290

Lindsay Francis, Lincoln Elementary School, Fredonia USD 484

Allyson Gilmore, Lawrence Free State High School, Lawrence USD 497

Sarah Kennedy, West Indianola Elementary School, Seaman USD 345

Haydee Martinez Bretado, Scott Dual Language Magnet, Topeka USD 501

Ruochen Shen, Eudora High School, Eudora USD 491

Tricia Wyckoff, Southeast Elementary School, Southeast USD 247

Dr. David Yoo, Baldwin High School, Baldwin USD 348

Region 3

Sydney Clarke, Wheatridge Middle School, Gardner Edgerton USD 231

Molly Dugan, Spring Hill Middle School, Spring Hill USD 230

Kassidy Evans, Blue Valley Northwest High School, Blue Valley USD 229

Rachel Leonard, F.L. Schlagle High School, Kansas City USD 500

Kelsey Mackeprang, Junction Elementary School, Turner USD 202

Emily Mauer, Timber Creek Elementary School, Blue Valley USD 229

Abigail Morris, Stony Point North Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500

Susan Specht, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee Mission USD 512.

Region 4

Micaela Heinrich, Maize South High School, Maize USD 266

Brooke Hernandez, Andover Middle School, Andover USD 385

Victoria Hoerst, Wheatland Elementary School, Andover USD 385

Candice Michaud, Haysville West Middle School, Haysville USD 261

Shonna Miller, Rex Elementary School, Haysville USD 261

Alison Nikkel, Hesston Elementary School, Hesston USD 460

Madison Sites, Pray-Woodman Elementary School, Maize USD 266

Rebekah Wendland, Derby High School, Derby USD 260

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 several professional development programs throughout the year.

Each awardee will receive a cash award sponsored by The Capitol Federal Foundation