Congratulations to the 2022 Excellence in Teaching Award winners. They are truly teachers who demonstrate instructional expertise, creativity and innovation in their classrooms; who make learning engaging, vibrant and relevant for students; and who set a standard of excellence for all teachers. We are so proud of the work they do every day, bringing the joy of discovery and learning to children in our schools. It is an outstanding achievement. Please join us in congratulating them.
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Ms. Kara Aquino
Valley View Boys' Leadership Academy
PreK–8th Grade Art“Kara has a unique and wonderful rapport with her students. … In my 20+ years teaching in Cleveland I have never found an art teacher who was so good at visual artistic projects. Her projects are aligned with the standards but in the most colorful, creative, and bold ways.”
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Ms. Darlene Burks
Davis Aerospace & Maritime High School
9th Grade English“Darlene is an expert and her students know it! Building on her career in journalism, she involve her scholars in a project-based curriculum that engages not only them, but their families and the community. … Students who have her as a teacher truly have a gift.”
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Mr. John Dutton
Nominated at Campus International High School; now at MC2STEM
11th Grade Computer Science/Engineering“John is an outstanding teacher and professional who displays an incredible work ethic. … He is truly a Renaissance man: a master of both environmental science and computer science, a problem solver, and a collaborator. He maintains a positive disposition at all times.”
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Ms. Beth Longstreet
Orchard STEM
Intervention Specialist“Beth is an amazing educator who is always trying new things and embracing joy and creativity in the learning journey with our kids. … She marries joyful learning experiences to rigorous content. Her results speak for themselves. She truly exemplifies excellence.”
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Ms. Daysha Matthews
William Rainey Harper
2nd Grade“Daysha goes above and beyond for ALL her scholars. ... She cannot be described vividly enough with only words. Seeing her in action, each and every day, paints the clearest picture of the kind of educator she is and how blessed scholars are to have her as their teacher.”
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Ms. Jaya Neal
Nominated at Wade Park; now at William Rainey Harper
4th Grade“Jaya is caring, creative, and innovative. She skillfully crafts lessons to touch the unique learning style of her scholars. … When you walk into her classroom, you’ll see the magical, child-centered learning environment and immediately notice scholars diligently engaged in learning.”
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Mr. Arley Trujillo
John Marshall School of Information Technology
9–12th Grade Computer Science“Arley lives and breathes excellence without even realizing it—through effort, grit, flexibility, and his overall persona. … He is a trailblazer and an innovator with a long list of firsts in the district and in the state. His students ALWAYS have a smile on their face.”
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Ms. Jonice Turner
Anton Grdina
Intervention Specialist“Jonice is loved by students and parents alike. … When entering her classroom, one immediately feels a sense of peace and tranquility. It has a home-away-from-home feeling, where scholars are fully engaged in the academics, setting goals, and making connections to their learning.”
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Ms. Chrystal Urbansky
Halle
4th Grade“Chrystal works tirelessly to ensure her students are getting the best education. From arts and drama, to mathematics and ELA, to social-emotional learning and childhood development, she has a vast wealth of knowledge. … Lucky are the students who have her as their teacher!”
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Mr. Austan Younker
Artemus Ward
6th Grade Math and Science“Austan does an outstanding job as an educator. He creates a positive classroom environment where students feel safe to take risks and where they know they will be supported if they are struggling with content. … He is truly the epitome of creativity and innovation.”