The Excellence in Education Foundation announced recipients of the 2024/25 Linda Brown Fellows and Star Awards at the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District Back-to-School Convocation event on Friday, August 23. Each year, Excellence in Education accepts nominations for the awards from students, parents, community members, and TTUSD staff members.
The Linda Brown Fellows Awards recognize exceptional district teachers. It’s named in honor of a long-time teacher in the school district and a founding member of the Excellence in Education Foundation. Recipients receive $1,000 for personal use and a $2,000 grant to enhance education in their classroom or school. This round, we had 140 nominations for 61 teachers. The awards went to:
Mike Bensley, Truckee High School
Mike is always finding new ways to inspire students and teach them creative ways to deal with math, as well as the real-world applications of those skills. He constantly searches for new ways to apply the CTE and math skills to real world problems so that he can connect students to the “Why” of math knowledge.
Brittany Rose, Glenshire Elementary School
Music can inspire passion in us all, and Brittany uses it to ignite the infectious joy and enthusiasm our children experience through a truly remarkable music program.
Jamie Schwartz, Kings Beach Elementary
Jamie gets abundant compliments from students, parents, and colleagues. Here are a couple from enthusiastic students:
“She makes me feel happy and safe.”
“If I can’t do something, she tells me I can do it and I do it!”
Heidi Bushway Verkler, North Tahoe School
From being the STEAM teacher for three grade levels, leading the AVID elective, and handling the media and Instagram for their school, Heidi is involved in every aspect of student life. She also manages yearbook, coding, green screens, and 3D printing!
Dawn Rye, Tahoe Lake Elementary
For years, Dawn has dazzled parents and students with their classroom, which boasts inspired creativity and ingenuity along with fun antics to keep the kids engaged! Dawn uses every skill in her repertoire to ensure students succeed.
The Star awards recognize non-teaching TTUSD staff who positively impact students’ lives by providing outstanding support in their positions. We had 31 nominations for 20 classified staff members. The award is $1,000 for personal use and went to:
Alicia Benavides, Kings Beach Elementary
As a para-professional for a reading class, Alicia consistently goes above and beyond. She participates in online trainings at home to become better acquainted with the class materials.
Bernard Cirullo, District Maintenance
H-VAC is a top priority for Bernard, but he certainly don’t stop there. Is there a plumbing issue? Call Bernard. Is there an electrical problem? Call this Bernard. Outside contractors, beware! This star is a jack-of-all-trades, as well as a master of all!
Ramon Delfin, Tahoe Lake Elementary
Ramon is hailed as the hardest working head custodian the principal has ever worked with! Being a wizard at seeing problems or issues before others notice them is Ramon’s magic.
Kelly Frankenberg, Tahoe Lake Elementary Food Service
From scratch breakfast muffins made from leftover organic fruit to beautiful and delicious lunches, Kelly excels. As an innovative chef, she started the Grow Lettuce Stand, which provides the school with home-grown vegetables.
Cassie Frock, North Tahoe School
You know the student survey that identifies a trusted adult on school campus? Well, Cassie is literally everyone’s trusted adult at their site. This feat is achieved because of her ability to connect with people through kindness, thoughtfulness, exceptional listening skills, empathy, and enthusiasm.
The awards program was created over 25 years ago to help promote and acknowledge excellence in education. Learn more HERE.