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Education
32nd annual Excellence in Education event finalists announced
Tempe teachers, students and administrators to be honored
Posted
Independent Newsmedia
The Tempe Diablos are excited to announce the official finalists for the 32nd annual Excellence in Education award ceremony.
The Diablos are a group of community leaders who volunteer time, money and resources to improve Tempe neighborhoods. The ceremony, which recognizes outstanding educators serving the Tempe community and surrounding neighborhoods and is known as the “Academy Awards” for teachers, will take place on Thursday, May 6 at 7 p.m. via live stream.
According to the release, outstanding finalists from Tempe Elementary School District, Kyrene Elementary School District and Tempe Union High School District include:
Teacher of the Year
Katie Dirvonas, Kyrene de la Mirada
Michele Ferber, Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School
Bobby Norman, Akimel A-al Middle School
Nicole Mercurio, Gililland Middle School
Tricia Valliere, Aguilar Elementary School
Angela Varnado, Arredondo Elementary School
Natasha Alston, Mountain Pointe High School
Karen Crane, McClintock High School
David Duplessis, Corona del Sol High School
Lifetime Achievement
Nancy Branch, Kyrene de la Mirada
Tamara Simons, Kyrene de la Estrella
Pat Burdette, District Office
Amy Garza, District Office
Nita Atkins, Tempe High School
Justine Centanni, Corona del Sol High School
Leadership
Spencer Fallgatter, Kyrene de la Mariposa
Lisa Roberts, Kyrene District Office
Carrie Fox, Arredondo Elementary School
Brittany Franklin, Tempe Elementary District Office
Tomika Banks, Mountain Pointe High School
Steve Threadgill, Corona del Sol High School
High Impact
Patti Kuluris, Kyrene Monte Vista
Melissa Wertenberger, Akimel A-al Middle School
Emily Parrillo, Arredondo Elementary School
Kelly Trujillo, Carminati Elementary School
Micah Kriston, McClintock High School
Susan Manning, Compadre Academy
Inspiration
Katie Miceli, Akimel A-al Middle School
Tamzyn Whitaker, District
Helen Buck-Pavlick, Fees College Preparatory Middle School
Emily Parrillo, Arredondo Elementary School
Valerie Molina, Marcos de Niza High School
Otilia Tines, McClintock High School
Rising Star
Abby Greb, Kyrene del Cielo
Abigail Knight, Kyrene de la Colina
Nia Lewis, Aguilar Elementary School
Dasha McKinney, Ward Traditional Academy
Abigail Anderson, Mountain Pointe High School
Shelly Peckins, McClintock High School
Class Act
Tiffany Hood, Akimel a-Al Middle School
Loira Guerra Talmon, Kyrene de Las Lomas
Elvia Jaime, Laird School
Ashley Torres, Arredondo Elementary School
Sandra Rivera, Mountain Pointe High School
John Sharp, Tempe High School
Transformational
Dodi Price, Kyrene del Cielo
Amy Russo, Kyrene Monte Vista
Andrea Peterson, Arredondo Elementary School
Taylor Sypher, Aguilar Elementary School
Amanda Cogswell, Desert Vista High School
Tahlia Remer, Marcos de Niza High School
For more information about Excellence in Education and the Tempe Diablos, visit TempeDiablos.org.