AREA EDUCATORS, PROGRAMS ARE INNOVATION AWARD WINNERS

The 19th annual “Innovation in Education Awards” were recently presented in San Diego by the Classroom of the Future Foundation. The awards honor programs that motivate K-12 students to learn and increase student achievement. Educators apply for Innovation Grants in four categories, and a panel of leaders in the business and education communities makes the selections, which include other educational awards.

This year’s Innovation

Award winners are:

• Impact Award: Through the Lens of Equity: Jump Starting Pathways to Rewarding Careers, Poway Unified School District

• Achieve Award: College and Career Student Support Center, Health Sciences High and Middle College, San Diego Unified School District

• Innovate Award: Collaborations for Creativity, CoTA (Collaborations: Teachers and Artists)

• Inspire Award: Silver Gate Garden and Rutabaga Education, Silver Gate Elementary School, San Diego

Unified School District

• Honorable Mention, Innovate Award: Creative Youth Development Program for Unhoused Youth, Monarch School, San Diego County Office of Education

The foundation also presented special awards as part of its Innovative Educator program. The winners are:

• Todd W. Gutschow Visionary & Outstanding Leadership Award: Timothy Baird, Director of Educational Partnerships, Green Schools National Network

• Innovative Superintendent Award: Karl Mueller,

Coronado Unified School District

• Innovative Principal Award: Stephanie Brown, Lincoln High School, San Diego Unified School District

• Innovative Educator Award: Cesar Gamez, teacher, Castle Park High School, Sweetwater Union High School District

• Business Champion of the Year: San Diego Gas & Electric

• College & Career Pathways Educator of the Year Award: Nicole Moersch, K12 Pathway Coordinator, serving Carlsbad Unified School

District, Oceanside Unified School District, San Dieguito Union High School District

• CFF Special College and Career Pathways Award: MANA de San Diego

• 2022 SDCUE (San Diego Computer Using Educators) Innovative Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) of the Year Award: Kristen Eveland, curriculum resource teacher, Santee School District

• SDCUE Innovative Teacher of the Year Award: Taylor Cotton, teacher, Cajon Valley Union School District