A teacher from Salina and one from Solomon are among 32 first-year educators from around Kansas being honored. The teachers recipients of the 2015 Kansas Horizon Award, which recognizes exemplary first-year educators.
The Kansas Horizon Award program, which is sponsored by the Kansas State Deoartment of Education, allows 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.
The teachers will be honored at a special ceremony during the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network State Education Conference on Feb. 20th in Topeka.
Horizon Award local winners include Olga Silverman, a speech and writing teacher from Solomon and Collin Carlson, a history and government teacher at Salina South High School.
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2015 Kansas Horizon Award Recipients
Region 1
Collin Carlson, Salina South High School, USD 305 Salina
Leah DeTravernier, South Middle School, USD 480 Liberal
Madeline Dierking, Logan Avenue Elementary School, USD 253 Emporia
Justin Heeke, Miller Elementary School, USD 443 Dodge City
Austyn McNew, Bluemont Elementary School, USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden
Chrystiana Miller, Sheridan Elementary School, USD 475 Geary County
Maria Loewen, McPherson Middle School, USD 418 McPherson
Olga Silverman, Solomon High School, USD 393 Solomon
Region 2
Alyssa Buxman, Berryton Elementary School, USD 450 Shawnee Heights
Collin Eidelson, Ottawa High School, USD 290 Ottawa
Nichole Gurwell, Tonganoxie Elementary School, USD 464 Tonganoxie
Laura Hochman, South Middle School, USD 497 Lawrence
Wendy Madere, Rossville Grade School, USD 321 Kaw Valley
Jessica Otradovec, Seaman High School, USD 345 Seaman
Brittany Roper, Shawnee Heights High School, USD 450 Shawnee Heights
Hannah Rosell, Earl M. Lawson Elementary School, USD 453 Leavenworth
Region 3
Kelsey Bradley, Indian Valley Elementary School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Jamie Droegemeier, Spring Hill Middle School, USD 230 Spring Hill
Katherine Durick, Lakewood Middle School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Haley Epperson, Spring Hill Elementary School, USD 230 Spring Hill
Joel McGhee, Broadmoor Elementary School, USD 416 Louisburg
Taylor Newman, Prairie Ridge Elementary School, USD 232 DeSoto
Alyssa Passmore, Turner Sixth Grade Academy, USD 202 Turner
Katherine Wilber, Monticello Trails Middle School, USD 232 DeSoto
Region 4
Bethany Brewer, McCollom Elementary School, USD 259 Wichita
Jessica Dosser, Garfield Elementary School, USD 402 Augusta
Patrick Huddleston, Andover Central High School, USD 385 Andover
Caleb McCaffree, Ruth Clark Elementary School, USD 261 Haysville
Kathryn Richardson, Coleman Middle School, USD 259 Wichita
Grant Threlkeld, Amelia Earhart Elementary School, USD 265 Goddard
Susanna Tippett, Newton High School, USD 373 Newton
Kaitlin Woellhof, Valley Center High School, USD 262 Valley Center
