Nine teachers from throughout Southern Colorado were honored on May 4 as part of the 9th annual teacher celebration sponsored by the Southern Colorado Teacher Education Alliance at Colorado State University - Pueblo.
The idea for the celebration originated with future teacher groups at Pueblo Community College and Colorado State University – Pueblo and has grown to the current 9th Annual Teacher Celebration: Teachers Plant the Seeds of Knowledge! Hundreds of students from grades 5, 8, and 12 in area school districts were encouraged to write a letter about the teachers who have made a difference in their lives. A selection committee of CSU-Pueblo pre-service teachers read all letters and chose the 9 teachers who were honored. Excerpts from these letters were read at the teacher celebration, and teachers and students received bound volumes of all winning entrees and certificates acknowledging the award.
The honored teachers, the schools where they teach, and the students who nominated them were:
Crowley County RE-1J School District
Lindsay Walter, 5th Grade Teacher at Crowley County Elementary School, and Chelsea Powell, 5th Grade Student
Fountain - Fort Carson School District 8
Scott Peterson, 6th Grade Teacher at Carterville Intermediate in Carterville, IL, and Olivia Willoughby, 8th Grade Student at Carson Middle School
Greg Spahn, 8th Grade Teacher at Carson Middle School, and Christian Powell, 8th Grade Student
Huerfano RE-1 School District
Ms. Maria De La Cruz, Student Advisor at John Mall High School, and Elizabeth Sims, 12th Grade Student
La Veta RE-2 School District
Rod Falk, 5th Grade Teacher at La Veta Elementary School, and Jimmy Gambina, 5th Grade Student
Pueblo School District 70
Kelly Chandler, Physical Education Teacher at Pleasant View Middle School, and Britani DiSanti, 8th Grade Student
Dianna Stanley, 8th Grade Teacher at Vineland Middle School, and Bailey Knecht, 8th Grade Student
Pueblo City Schools
Jalyn Koen-Robinson, 3rd Grade Teacher, Carlile Elementary School, and Dakota Griego-Montez, 5th Grade Student
Denise Torrez, 5th Grade Teacher, Eva Baca Elementary School, and Macario Torrez, 5th Grade Student