Congratulations to the approximately 800 Clark County School District teachers who were finalists and the 20 winners of this year’s Heart of Education Awards, presented by The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and made possible by The Rogers Foundation.
The awards program recognizes teachers who go above and beyond for their students. This year, the coronavirus pandemic led to the cancellation of the red-carpet ceremony that honors the educators. Instead, on May 20, the 20 winners received a surprise video chat call from their principals and the president and CEO of The Smith Center, Myron Martin.
Each of the 20 winners will receive a medallion, a $5,000 cash prize, and an additional $1,000 to use for a school program of their choice. There also will be full-page ads in the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Sunday and in El Tiempo, congratulating the educators.
The 2020 award winners include:
- Claudia Ahumada, Kermit R. Booker Sr. Elementary School
- Donato Avila, John C. Fremont Middle School
- Kari Bastin, Dr. Beverly S. Mathis Elementary School
- Bianca Bautista, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts
- Belisa Brownlee, Rancho High School
- Matthew Christian, Barbara and Hank Greenspun Junior High School
- Robert Cuccurullo, Coronado High School
- Tiffany Grant, Clifford J. Lawrence Junior High School
- Elizabeth Harris, Lied STEM Academy
- Elisa Marcheschi Hickey, Western High School
- Pamela Honey, Martha P. King Elementary School
- Carolyn Lara, Spring Valley High School
- Kimberly Law, Mabel W. Hoggard Elementary School
- William John Love, Liberty High School
- Crystal Massengale, E.W. Griffith Elementary School
- Mark Nekoba, Jack Lund Schofield Middle School
- Richard Pokropski, Centennial High School
- Tyler Swick, Robert and Sandy Ellis Elementary School
- Michelle Taylor, Mabel W. Hoggard Elementary School
- Kelly Wagner, Green Valley High School
