BERRIEN SPRINGS, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 22, 2022 – Honor Credit Union is thrilled to announce the winners of its 13th Annual Teacher Awards. With each year that passes, the Annual Teacher Awards continue to grow, and 2022 was no exception with the addition of two new communities in the Grand Rapids Region (Allendale and Jenison). In turn, Honor increased its total number of teachers awarded from 70 winners to 86 winners and brought in nearly 1,000 entries from educators across its 28-member center communities.
From the surplus of entries received, Honor included an additional 35 Honorable Mentions, totaling $20,700, awarded to 121 educators across Michigan.
Educators submitted a short essay explaining how they would use the money to better their students’ education. After a blind selection process, Honor team members chose 86 winners who received a $200 Amazon digital gift card to use in their classroom or school and a $100 Amazon digital gift card to those awarded Honorable Mention. The 13th Annual Teacher Award winners are:
86 Teacher Award Winners
The following 86 educators have been blindly selected to each receive a $200 Amazon digital gift card as the winners of the 13th Annual Teacher Awards:
Battle Creek / Coldwater Area
- Battle Creek Public Schools – Rhonda Turner
- Battle Creek Public Schools – Tammy Westbrook
- Calhoun ISD – Andrea Nuelken
- Coldwater Community Schools – Joseph Closson
- Lakeview Battle Creek – Alexa Robinson
- Lakeview Battle Creek – Jessica Day
- Marshall High School – Megan Walters
- Pansophia Academy – Cierra Becker
- Reading Community Schools – Stacey Kies
- St. Charles Borromeo – Brenda Mescher
- St. Joseph Catholic, Battle Creek – John Wendland
- St. Philip Catholic Central High School – Michelle Fuller
Buchanan / Niles / Berrien Springs / Eau Claire Area
- Berrien Springs Public Schools – Carrie VanDenburgh
- Berrien Springs Public Schools – Sarah Jackemeyer
- Berrien Springs Public Schools – Shelly Archer
- Brandywine Community Schools – David Staggs
- Brandywine Community Schools – Jenni Button
- Buchanan Community Schools – Alexander Ehlert
- Buchanan Community Schools – Kelly Smith
- Eau Claire Public Schools – Kristen Roe
- Niles Community Schools – Emily Grontkowski
- River Valley School District – Jeri Essig
St. Joseph / Benton Harbor Area
- Benton Harbor Area Schools – Melody Cardenas
- Berrien RESA – Jenna Hawkins
- Lake Michigan College – JT Neuffer
- St. Joseph Public Schools – Marilyn Jones
- Trinity Lutheran School – Deborah Boughner
Baroda / Stevensville Area
- Bridgman High Schools – Andrea Countess
- Bridgman Public Schools – Jackie Harding
- Bridgman Public Schools – Kelly Hahaj
- Bridgman, Immanuel Lutheran Preschool – Angela Cullison
- Lakeshore Public Schools – Jennifer Engleman
- Lakeshore Public Schools – Nancy Anderson
- Lakeshore Public Schools – Suzie Onken
Decatur / Dowagiac / Paw Paw Area
- Cassopolis Public Schools – Amanda Solloway
- Cassopolis Public Schools – Serena Sawyer
- Decatur Public Schools – Jennifer Adduci
- Dowagiac Schools – Denise Stockwell
- Edwardsburg Public Schools – Kaylan Wiemuth
- Patrick Hamilton Elementary School – Elizabeth Layman
- Paw Paw Public Schools – Amy Oetjens
- Paw Paw Public Schools – Heather Vandermolen
- Paw Paw Public Schools – Maria Reo
Coloma / Hartford / South Haven Area
- Bangor Public Schools – Karen Shafer
- Covert Public Schools – Kelsey Vollrath
- Glenn Public School – Jenna Marr
- Hartford Public Schools – Ashley Williams
- Hartford Public Schools – Jane Gonzalez
- Hartford Public Schools – Kelseyann Wright
- South Haven Public Schools – Brock Thumm
- Watervliet Public Schools – Alaina Bongiorno
- Watervliet Public Schools – David Kindt
Greater Grand Rapids Area
- Caledonia Community Schools – Alissa Chase
- Grand Rapids Public Schools – Candy Vela
- Grand Rapids Public Schools – Lisa Barnes
- Grand Rapids Public Schools – Selin Turan
- Kenowa Hills Public Schools – Bailey Evans
- Kentwood Public Schools – Diana McDiarmid
- Lowell Area Schools – Katelyn Elizabeth Pulver
- Mason County Central Schools – Penny Fort
- Montcalm Area Intermediate School District- Brittany Danner
- Telamon – Monica Marquez
- Wayland Union Schools – Becky Hyma
- Wayland – St. Therese Catholic School – Kate Lund
Greater Kalamazoo Area
- Allegan Public Schools – Abby Waynick
- Allegan Public Schools – Becky Calvert
- Comstock Public Schools – Natalie Hosbein
- Delton Kellogg – Heather Tack
- Gull Lake Community Schools – Nicole Miller
- Gull Lake Community Schools – Patrick English
- Kalamazoo Public Schools – Dawn Kahler
- Kalamazoo Public Schools – Heather Ballines-Barajas
- Kalamazoo Public Schools – Itzel Gomez-Avalos
- Portage Public Schools – Kara Mounce
- Vicksburg Community Schools – Julie Hughes
- Vicksburg Community Schools – Melissa Collins
Gwinn /Marquette/ Negaunee Area
- Gwinn Area Community Schools – Amanda Hornback
- Gwinn Area Community Schools – Olivia Johnson
- Marquette Area Public Schools – Kelsey Wales
- Marquette Area Public Schools – Steffani Dobson
- Negaunee Public Schools – Courtney Neveu
- Negaunee Public Schools – Jodi Johnson
- Negaunee Public Schools – Lacey O’Donnell
- Negaunee Public Schools – Michelle Lammi
- North Star Academy – Sarah Vickstrom
- Superior Central Schools – Tamryn King
Honorable Mention Winners
The following 35 teachers were selected as Honorable Mention winners and each received a $100 Amazon digital gift card:
Battle Creek /Coldwater Area
- Marshall Public Schools – Samantha McClusky
- Pansophia Academy – Jamie Barrand
- Pennfield Schools – Erin Mosher
- Union City Community Schools – Laura Bandlow
Buchanan / Niles/Berrien Springs /Eau Claire Area
- Brandywine Schools – Megan Kohler
- Buchanan Schools – Lauren Hendrick
- Eau Claire Public Schools – Wendy Hart
- Niles Community Schools – Lynette Wideman
Baroda / Stevensville Area
- Bridgman Public Schools – Kirsten Southwood
- Lakeshore Public Schools – Jill Rezanka
- Lakeshore Public Schools – Tessa Lee
- River Valley School District – Michelle Sykora
St. Joseph / Benton Harbor Area
- Benton Harbor Area Schools – Elizabeth Austin
- Grace Lutheran School – Denise Fletcher
- Michigan Lutheran High School – Heidi Plocher
- St. Joseph Public Schools – Morgan Altergott
Decatur / Dowagiac / Paw Paw Area
- Decatur Public Schools – Jessica Fegan
- Dowagiac Union Schools – Laura Frye
- Dowagiac Union Schools – Susan Grear
- Paw Paw Public Schools – Bethany Stanton
Coloma / Hartford / South Haven Area
- Bangor Public Schools – Cris McGuire
- Bloomingdale Elementary – Mariann Dowd
- Hartford Public Schools – Kim Fearnow
- Grace Christian School – Leslie Colford
- South Haven Public Schools – Mary Phillips
Grand Rapids Area
- Conklin Migrant Headstart -Tiffany Kiiskila
- Grand Rapids Public Schools – Juanita Mathis
- Grand Rapids Public Schools – Karl Johnson
- Jenison Public Schools – Monica Perez
Kalamazoo Area
- Alamo Elementary School – Sheryl Cramer
- Allegan Public Schools – Hailey Baker
- Comstock Public Schools – Becky Raines
- Gull Lake Community Schools – Kristine Hop
Gwinn / Marquette / Negaunee Area
- Negaunee Public Schools – Krista Squiers
- Republic-Michigamme – Kevin Luokkala
ABOUT HONOR CREDIT UNION
Honor Credit Union is a non-profit, full-service financial institution serving over 100,000 members in 28 member center communities throughout western and northern Michigan.
Providing solutions for financial success and giving back to the communities we serve remain the driving forces behind Honor Credit Union. For more information, call 800.442.2800, or visit www.honorcu.com.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Kayla Smith
Brand Coordinator
ksmith@honorcu.com
800.442.2800 ext. 9205
More To Explore
2023 Honor Teacher Award Winners Announced
See all educators who received a $500 Amazon digital gift card or $500 check to improve their classroom.
2021 Honor Teacher Award Winners Announced
See all 70 educators who won a $200 Amazon digital gift card this year, and the additional honorable mention winners.
