BERRIEN SPRINGS, MI – November 23, 2021 – Honor Credit Union is happy to announce the 12th Annual Teacher Award winners. With each year that passes, the Annual Teacher Awards continues to grow. 2021 proved to be a record-breaking year with over 1,200 entries from educators submitting a short essay explaining how they would use an additional $200 to better their students’ education.
Because Honor received over 500 more entries than 2020, in addition to the 70 teachers who each received a $200 Amazon digital gift card, there were 32 Honorable Mention winners who each received a $100 Amazon digital gift card. It didn’t stop there, though. Knowing the impact the funds could have on teachers and students, Honor’s Community Assistant Vice Presidents selected an additional 11 teachers who would receive various classroom supplies to help fill requests. That brought the total number of awarded teachers to 113!
70 Teacher Award Winners
The following 70 educators have been blindly selected to each receive a $200 Amazon digital gift card as the winners of the 12th Annual Teacher Awards:
Allegan Area
Erika Zimmer (Allegan Public Schools)
Battle Creek Area
- Kara Malone (Battle Creek Public Schools)
- Katherine Cape (Battle Creek Public Schools)
- Justin Brown (Calhoun Intermediate School)
- Amanda Schultz (Harper Creek School District)
Benton Harbor Area
- Steven Kreichauf (Benton Harbor Area Schools)
- Alicia Silva (Benton Harbor Charter School Academy)
- Linda Douglas (Countryside Academy)
Berrien Springs Area
- Jose Diaz (Andrews Academy)
- Tamara Nelson (Berrien Springs Public Schools)
- Amanda Harris (Berrien RESA)
Buchanan Area
- Melissa Calvillo (Buchanan Community Schools)
Bridgman Area
- Ashley Vincentini (Bridgman Public Schools)
- Madison Singer (Bridgman Public Schools)
Cassopolis Area
- Brandy Meiser (Heritage Southwest ISD)
- Amanda Solloway (Cassopolis Public Schools)
Coloma Area
- Daniel Roberts (Coloma Community Schools)
Coldwater Area
- Becky Jackson (Branch ISD)
- Courtney Gallup (Coldwater Public Schools)
Decatur Area
- Jenn Adduci (Decatur Public Schools)
- Kristen McLouth (Decatur Public Schools)
Dowagiac Area
- Reggie Fritz (Dowagiac Union Schools)
- Susan Grear (Dowagiac Union Schools)
- Suzanne Brooks (Dowagiac Union Schools)
Eau Claire Area
- Allyson Rigler (Eau Claire Public Schools)
Edwardsburg Area
- Denise Halgren (Edwardsburg Public Schools)
- Kaylan Wiemuth (Edwardsburg Public Schools)
- Rebecca Coleman (Edwardsburg Public Schools)
Gobles Area
- Erin Carlin (Gobles Public Schools)
Gwinn Area
- Dan Turecky (Gwinn Area Community Schools)
- Elizabeth Henry (Gwinn Area Community Schools)
- Monique Moore (Gwinn Area Community Schools)
Kalamazoo Area
- Jill Plesko (Kalamazoo RESA)
Hopkins Area
- Tara Lutz-Wilkins (Hopkins Public Schools)
Ishpeming Area
- Chantel Heimerl (Ishpeming-Negaunee-NICE)
- Heather Swanson (Ishpeming School District)
Lowell Area
- Katelyn Pulver (Lowell Area Schools)
Marshall Area
- Samantha McClusky (Marshall Public Schools)
Marquette Area
- Jen Erickson (Marquette Area Public Schools)
- Mary Bengry (Marquette Area Public Schools)
- Peggy Lagina (Marquette Area Public Schools)
- Jessica LaPine (Community Action Alger- Marquette)
Negaunee Area
- Krista Squiers (Negaunee Public Schools)
New Buffalo Area
- Danika Loeffler (New Buffalo Area Schools)
Niles Area
- Elizabeth Grow (Niles Public Schools)
Otsego Area
- Melissa Garrett (Otsego Public Schools)
Paw Paw Area
- Mindy Brennan (Paw Paw Public Schools)
Parchment Area
- Amber French (Parchment School District)
Plainwell Area
- Tracy Keesee (Plainwell Community Schools)
Portage Area
- Kristen Wick (Portage Public Schools)
Sodus Area
- Michelle Koneff (River School Sodus)
Springport Area
- Kim Keeler (Springport Public Schools)
St. Joseph Area
- Amber Lange (Saint Joseph Public Schools)
- Jeff Weiss (Trinity Lutheran School)
South Haven Area
- Anita Wright (South Haven Public Schools)
- Jennifer Brooks (South Haven Public Schools)
- Julie Sheppard (South Haven Public Schools)
- Linda Brzezinski (South Haven Public Schools)
Stevensville Area
- Sandra Blough (Lakeshore Public Schools)
- Jamie Lange (Lakeshore Public Schools)
- Leah Reusser (Lakeshore Public Schools)
Three Oaks Area
- Rose Montie (River Valley School District)
Union City Area
- Ben Kinnison (Union City Community Schools)
Vicksburg Area
- Jill Boudrie (Vicksburg Community Schools)
- Shannon Vallier (Vicksburg Community Schools)
Waldron Area
- Amy Mroczek (Waldron Area Schools)
Watervliet Area
- Angelina Cooper (Watervliet Public Schools)
- Carolyn Simmons (Watervliet Public Schools)
- Linda Zuniga (Watervliet Public Schools)
32 Honorable Mention Winners
The following 32 teachers were selected as Honorable Mention winners and each received a $100 Amazon digital gift card:
Battle Creek / Coldwater
- Laura Bandlow (Battle Creek Area Catholic Schools)
- Maree Wagner (Bronson Schools)
- Abby Mencke (Coldwater Community Schools)
- Melanie Baker (Harper Creek)
Buchanan / Niles / Berrien Springs / Eau Claire
- Megan Lenz (Berrien Springs Public Schools)
- MacKenzie Shelton (Brandywine Community Schools)
- Kelly Smith (Buchanan Community Schools)
- Wendy Hart (Eau Claire Public Schools)
- Rikki Jones (Niles Community Schools)
St. Joseph / Stevensville / Benton Harbor
- Courtney Quandt (Lakeshore Public Schools)
- Matthew Pagel (Lakeshore Public Schools)
- Kathleen Sant (Lake Michigan Catholic)
- Susan Hunnell (St. Joseph Public Schools)
- Amy Roth (Trinity Lutheran School)
Decatur / Dowagiac / Edwardsburg
- Julie Wilder (Decatur Public Schools)
- Claudia Zebell (Dowagiac Union Schools)
- Cari Soderbloom (Dowagiac Union Schools)
- Debra Wegner (Dowagiac Union Schools)
- Erik Kimbler (Edwardsburg Public Schools)
Paw Paw / South Haven / Coloma
- Trista Kelly (Hartford Public Schools)
- Kate Galla (Mattawan School District)
- Susan White (Paw Paw Public Schools)
- Mary Phillips (South Haven Public Schools)
- Rebecca Linstrom (South Haven Public Schools)
Kalamazoo
- Amy Eastman (Kalamazoo Public Schools)
Gwinn / Marquette / Negaunee
- Abby Pickett (Gwinn Area Community Schools)
- Kristi Mumm (Marquette Area Public Schools)
- Lucy Anthony (Marquette Area Public Schools)
- Nicole Whitford (Negaunee Public Schools)
- Casie Hill (North Star Montessori Academy)
- Anette Gleason (Republic-Michigamme School)
11 Additional Winners
The following 11 teachers were selected by Honor Community Assistant Vice Presidents to receive goodies and needed classroom items:
- Michelle Fuller (Battle Creek St. Philip Catholic Central High School)
- Rebecca Nicolas (Berrien Springs Public Schools)
- Abby Sandmann (Berrien Springs Public Schools)
- Nicole Hughes (Buchanan Community Schools)
- Jennifer Bloss (Cassopolis Public Schools)
- Jessica Pompey (Cassopolis Public Schools)
- Karen Nuckels (Decatur Public Schools)
- Jessica Schultz (Decatur Public Schools)
- Joa Puckett (Eau Claire Public Schools)
- Adam Westhouse (Lakeview High School)
- Rebecca Hartley (New Buffalo School District)
Honor Credit Union is committed to staying true to its roots in supporting local schools and teachers, and the Annual Teacher Awards is just one of the many ways Honor gives back throughout the year. To learn more about Honor’s involvement in the schools, visit Honorcu.com/Teachers.
Honor Credit Union is proud to serve more than 98,000 members across the State of Michigan. Providing solutions for your 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 Specialist
ksmith@honorcu.com
800.442.2800 ext. 9205
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