2021 Excellence In Education Finalist
Teacher of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Leadership, High Impact, Inspiration, & Rising Star
2021 Excellence in Education Awards
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THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR DONORS
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HONORING EDUCATORS FROM
Recognizing the outstanding, dedicated educators in our Tempe community.
Since 2010, these programs have culminated every spring with the highly anticipated black tie awards banquet, held at the Tempe Center for the Arts and featuring celebrity emcees and high profile guest speakers.
The Excellence in Education event is the only of its kind in the valley. Teachers have called it “The Academy Awards of Education” because of the red carpet entry, the Diablos in their tuxes and the awards. It’s a spectacular night honoring outstanding educators serving the Tempe community and it’s the Diablos mission in action.
Our committee, once again, decided to conduct the 2021 Excellence in Education event to a virtual broadcast. Our hope is that the 2022 Excellence in Education will be an in person celebration of our community educators and students.
CONGRATS TO THE WINNERS!
WATCH THE EVENT – 2021
Teacher of the Year
Tempe Elementary School District
Nicole Mercurio – Gililland Middle School – 2021 Winner!
Tricia Valliere – Aguilar Elementary School
Angela Varnado – Arredondo Elementary School
Kyrene School District
Katie Dirvonas – Kyrene de la Mirada
Michele Ferber – Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School – 2021 Winner!
Bobby Norman – Akimel A-al Middle School
Tempe Union High School District
Natasha Alston – Mountain Pointe High School
Karen Crane – McClintock High School – 2021 Winner!
David Duplessis – Corona del Sol High School
Lifetime Achievement
Tempe Elementary School District
Pat Burdette – District Office
Amy Garza – District Office
Kyrene School District
Nancy Branch – Kyrene de la Mirada
Tamara Simons – Kyrene de la Estrella
Tempe Union High School District
Nita Atkins – Tempe High School
Justine Centanni – Corona del Sol High School
Leadership
Tempe Elementary School District
Carrie Fox – Arredondo Elementary School
Brittany Franklin – District Office
Kyrene School District
Spencer Fallgatter – Kyrene de la Mariposa
Lisa Roberts – District
Tempe Union High School District
Tomika Banks – Mountain Pointe High School
Steve Threadgill – Corona del Sol High School
High Impact
Tempe Elementary School District
Emily Parrillo – Arredondo Elementary School
Kelly Trujillo – Carminati Elementary School
Kyrene School District
Patti Kuluris – Kyrene Monte Vista
Melissa Wertenberger – Akimel A-al Middle School
Tempe Union High School District
Micah Kriston – McClintock High School
Susan Manning – Compadre Academy
Inspiration
Tempe Elementary School District
Helen Buck-Pavlick – Fees College Preparatory Middle School
Emily Parrillo – Arredondo Elementary School
Kyrene School District
Katie Miceli – Akimel A-al Middle School
Tamzyn Whitaker – District
Tempe Union High School District
Valerie Molina – Marcos de Niza High School
Otilia Tines – McClintock High School
Rising Star
Tempe Elementary School District
Nia Lewis – Aguilar Elementary School
Dasha McKinney – Ward Traditional Academy
Kyrene School District
Abby Greb – Kyrene del Cielo
Abigail Knight – Kyrene de la Colina
Tempe Union High School District
Abigail Anderson – Mountain Pointe High School
Shelly Peckins – McClintock High School
2021 Excellence In Education Finalist
Class ActClass Act & Transformational
Class Act
Tempe Elementary School District
Elvia Jaime – Laird School
Ashley Torres – Arredondo Elementary School
Kyrene School District
Tiffany Hood – Akimel a-Al Middle School
Loira Guerra Talmon – Kyrene de Las Lomas
Tempe Union High School
Sandra Rivera – Mountain Pointe High School
John Sharp – Tempe High School
Transformational
Tempe Elementary School District
Andrea Peterson – Arredondo Elementary School
Taylor Sypher – Aguilar Elementary School
Kyrene School District
Dodi Price – Kyrene del Cielo
Amy Russo – Kyrene Monte Vista
Tempe Union High School
Amanda Cogswell – Desert Vista High School
Tahlia Remer – Marcos de Niza High School