Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year

Teachers of the Year are listed first followed by
School-Related Employees of the Year

Alturas

Alturas Elementary – TOY: Mary Deal; SRE: Deborah Cowles

Auburndale

Auburndale Central Elementary – TOY: Oscar Loya Jr.; SRE: Hope Bennett-Stephens
Auburndale Senior High – TOY: Pam Lancaster; SRE: Linda Himmel
Clarence Boswell Elementary – TOY: Patricia Blackburn; SRE: Melissa Osbourn
East Area Adult – TOY: Mariza Abdalla; SRE: Michaela Bradford
Jere L. Stambaugh Middle – TOY: Todd Taylor; SRE: Dale Evans
Lena Vista Elementary – TOY: Krystal James; SRE: Courtney Jergensen-Nelson
Walter Caldwell Elementary – TOY: Megan Higgins; SRE: Jeanne Shower

Bartow

Bartow Elementary Academy – TOY: Mikayla Sanford; SRE: Catherine Coconato
Bartow Middle – TOY: Elizabeth Worthington; SRE: Karen Parker
Bartow Senior High/IB/Summerlin – TOY: Lindsey Hanger; SRE: Mari Lynn Burkett
Floral Avenue Elementary – TOY: Chris Lynch; SRE: Andrew Kennison
Gause Academy of Leadership – TOY: Andrew Dolson; SRE: Pearlie Bell
Gibbons Street Preschool Center – TOY: Diane Russo; SRE: Jocelyn Oquendo
James E. Stephens Elementary – TOY: Jennifer Hubbard; SRE: Jose Flores
Jean O’Dell Learning Center – TOY: Laura Taft; SRE: Arielle Roux
Spessard L. Holland Elementary – TOY: Brittany Deliz; SRE: Lori Dixon
Union Academy – TOY: Howard Canning; SRE: Lawrence Armburger

Davenport

Citrus Ridge – A Civics Academy – TOY: Renee Rankine-Colman; SRE: Nicole Murphy
Davenport School of the Arts – TOY: Tony Wilmoth; SRE: Charlene Stamper
Horizons Elementary – TOY: Keila Pagan Cartagena; SRE: Ketty Joseph
Loughman Oaks Elementary – TOY: Cynthia Luna-Santos; SRE: Barbara Ritacco
Ridge Community High – TOY: Timothy Frost; SRE: Connor Blethen

Dundee

Donald E. Woods Opportunity Center – TOY: Lyle Hedley; SRE: Tymesia Ellis
Dundee Elementary Academy – TOY: Yesenia Razo; SRE: Michael Murphy
Dundee Ridge Middle Academy – TOY: Katie Heter; SRE: Vicky Whitehead

Eagle Lake

Eagle Lake Elementary – TOY: Bianca Carrizales; SRE: Jamie Martin
Lake Region High – TOY: John Blackburn Jr.; SRE: Leza Breckinridge
Pinewood Elementary – TOY: Danette Karnes; SRE: Thiago Lobato

Fort Meade

Fort Meade Middle/Senior High – TOY: William Coca; SRE: Stephanie Clark
Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary – TOY: Stella Hatton; SRE: Anita Bigsby
Lewis Elementary – TOY: Tishna Shell; SRE: Sheila Roberts

Frostproof

Ben Hill Griffin Jr. Elementary – TOY: Wendy Wilson; SRE: Alice Stinson
Frostproof Elementary – TOY: Jennifer Fugate; SRE: Brian Long
Frostproof Middle/Senior High – TOY: Valorie Perron; SRE: Ronald Scali

Haines City

Alta Vista Elementary – TOY: Scott Feshanko; SRE: Emily Palmer
Bethune Academy – TOY: Amanda Bryant; SRE: Kirsten Akers
Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology – TOY: Chris Sitek; SRE: Lakeisha Gilbert
Eastside Elementary – TOY: Latoya King; SRE: Verónica Torres Silva
Haines City Senior High/Haines City IB – TOY: Igdelia Rivera Reyes; SRE: Cleveland L. Morrow
Sandhill Elementary – TOY: Sierra Morris; SRE: Lynda Nissen
Shelley S. Boone Middle – TOY: Joshua Ortiz Villa; SRE: Erin Brown

Highland City

Highland City Elementary – TOY: Jennifer Hartsaw; SRE: Leslie Brown

Lake Alfred

Karen M. Siegel Academy – TOY: Angela Jones-Dawson; SRE: Jennifer Owens
Lake Alfred Elementary – TOY: Rachel Snapko; SRE: Anita Bess
Lake Alfred Polytech Academy – TOY: John Chagaris; SRE: Lionel Delgado-Oquendo

Lake Wales

McLaughlin Middle & Fine Arts Academy – TOY: Sylvia Richardson; SRE: Milagros Flores
Roosevelt Academy – TOY: Jennifer Middlebrook; SRE: Ethelrine G. Watts
Spook Hill Elementary – TOY: Theresa Johnson; SRE: Joanna Wilson

Lakeland

Bill Duncan Opportunity Center – TOY: Deborah Jones; SRE: Lynn Russell
Carlton Palmore Elementary – TOY: Mary Isaac; SRE: Darlene Czerwinski
Cleveland Court Elementary – TOY: Carmela DiCesare Myers; SRE: Esther Marsh
Combee Academy of Design & Engineering – TOY: Jennifer Smith; SRE: Cheryl Eastabrooks
Crystal Lake Elementary – TOY: Yolanda Jiles; SRE: Sheila Chamberlain
Crystal Lake Middle – TOY: Eunice Johnson; SRE: Wanda Testerman
Dixieland Elementary – TOY: Daphne Harris; SRE: Kay Llewellyn
Doris A. Sanders Learning Center – TOY: David Seefeldt; SRE: Robert Sullivan
Dr. N.E. Roberts Elementary – TOY: Diana Clopton; SRE: Heather Manley
Edgar L. Padgett Elementary – TOY: Amanda Campbell; SRE: Zena Moody
George W. Jenkins Senior High – TOY: Anita Puissegur; SRE: Antwon Carter
Griffin Elementary – TOY: Janel Brown; SRE: Jerry McDowell II
Harrison School for the Arts – TOY: Rick Jansen; SRE: Karen Moroney
Highlands Grove Elementary – TOY: Gina Sweezey; SRE: Angela Williamson
James W. Sikes Elementary – TOY: Emily Minter; SRE: Kristal Jones-Gordon
Jesse Keen Elementary – TOY: Amy McElwain; SRE: Shambria Sanders
Kathleen Elementary – TOY: Chad Sell; SRE: Jamie Allred
Kathleen Middle – TOY: De’Oni Dew; SRE: Jessica Riddley
Kathleen Senior High – TOY: Joaquin Reyes; SRE: Laura Mango
Lake Gibson Middle – TOY: Amber Knight; SRE: Yvonne Hilton Still
Lake Gibson Senior High – TOY: Sean Luce; SRE: Sammy Strickland
Lakeland Highlands Middle – TOY: Angela Brooks; SRE: Saily Lorenzo Santana
Lakeland Senior High – TOY: Tyler Campbell; SRE: Alejandro Vazquez Colon
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy – TOY: Erin Lavelle; SRE: Zoraida Rodríguez Alvarado
Lincoln Avenue Academy – TOY: Yolonda Cherry; SRE: Cindy Cole
Medulla Elementary – TOY: Janina Davis-Espina; SRE: Nancy Brow
North Lakeland Elem. School of Choice – TOY: Heather Patrias; SRE: Priscilla Walters
Oscar J. Pope Elementary – TOY: Hope Sims; SRE: Nuyen Spencer
Philip O’Brien Elementary – TOY: Krystal Sanders; SRE: Marcus Patterson Jr.
Polk Virtual – TOY: Larry Mohler; SRE: Keelie de Loera
R. Bruce Wagner Elementary – TOY: Jennifer Weber; SRE: Jason McGuire
R. Clem Churchwell Elementary – TOY: Carlene Skiles; SRE: Dawn Wade
R.E.A.L. Academy – TOY: Luis A. Lopez-Santiago; SRE: Naschira Chacón
Rochelle School of the Arts – TOY: Tammy Mooney; SRE: Aimee Tate
Rosabelle W. Blake Academy – TOY: Rebecca Champion; SRE: Maria Comperchio
Scott Lake Elementary – TOY: Jana Stinnett; SRE: Marcus Ghent
Sleepy Hill Elementary – TOY: Kathryn L. Spring; SRE: Paul Hagelstein
Sleepy Hill Middle – TOY: Elizabeth Rodriguez; SRE: Stacy Meyers
Socrum Elementary – TOY: Tamya Wile; SRE: Vicci Jester
Southwest Elementary – TOY: Joshua Bieber; SRE: Tania Maldonado
Southwest Middle – TOY: Laura Blanchette; SRE: Calvin Shaffer
Tenoroc High – TOY: Carlos Gonzalez Rodriguez; SRE: Leona Smarte
Traviss Technical College – TOY: Gail Balser; SRE: Patty Troxtel
Valleyview Elementary – TOY: Jennifer Green; SRE: Joseph Caron
Wendell Watson Elementary – TOY: Jane Moore; SRE: Lisa Swope
West Area Adult School – TOY: Kenneth E. Rivera; SRE: James Clayton
Winston Academy of Engineering – TOY: Courtney Upton; SRE: Susan Cruz

Mulberry

Kingsford Elementary – TOY: Nina Wilbur; SRE: Cyndi Childress
Mulberry Middle – TOY: Lesley Smith Hayes; SRE: Robin Nelson
Mulberry Senior High – TOY: Jerry Wooten; SRE: Elizabeth Dorado
Purcell Elementary – TOY: Christopher Doucette; SRE: Sharon Tilley

Poinciana

Lake Marion Creek Middle – TOY: Aram Perry Jr.; SRE: Jackeline Rodriguez
Laurel Elementary – TOY: Temperance Anderson-Bryant; SRE: Dagmar Bauzo
Palmetto Elementary – TOY: Samantha Green; SRE: Monica Sierra-Diaz

Polk City

Polk City Elementary – TOY: Sarah Lewis; SRE: Michael Lewis

Winter Haven

Chain Of Lakes Elementary – TOY: Jason Murphy; SRE: Candice O’Neal
Denison Middle – TOY: Cheryl Irving-Davis; SRE: Clive Fishley
Elbert Elementary – TOY: Carnetha Bell; SRE: Ana Nicholson
Frank E. Brigham Academy – TOY: Carrie Spruell; SRE: Donna Langford
Fred G. Garner Elementary – TOY: Tracey Hall; SRE: Helen Mack
Garden Grove Elementary – TOY: Victoria Laroche; SRE: Elisa Gamez
Inwood Elementary – TOY: Lisa Gourley; SRE: Jessica Evans
Jewett Middle Academy Magnet – TOY: Yadira C. Shoffner; SRE: Gloria Hunter
Jewett School of the Arts – TOY: Judah Grooms; SRE: Pamela Musgrove
John Snively Elementary – TOY: Lauren Garner; SRE: Deanna Baker-Bailey
Lake Shipp Elementary – TOY: Juanita McCoy; SRE: Kevin Brown
Ridge Technical College – TOY: Steven DiLorenzo; SRE: Darlene Lyon
Wahneta Elementary – TOY: Nina M. Panzica; SRE: Marta Diaz
Westwood Middle – TOY: Dawn Coatney; SRE: Anjanette Richard-Jones
Winter Haven Senior High – TOY: Dr. Vincent M. Miller II; SRE: Laura Mason Kovachy

Photos:

The 2020 Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year photo gallery will be posted in the coming weeks.

Visit the 2019 Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year photo gallery.

Both event photos and red carpet portraits are available for free download.

Please share your photos on social media using the hashtag #LovePolkSchools.

Platinum Sponsors:

• Ledger Media Group
• MIDFLORIDA Credit Union
• Regal Automotive

Gold Sponsors:

• ARAMARK
• Boswell & Dunlap LLP
• Florida Blue
• Legoland Florida Resort
• Mosaic
• Publix Super Markets Charities
• TECO

Silver Sponsors

• AMSCOT Financial
• Ben Hill Griffin, Inc.
• BENCOR
• CEMEX
• Citizen’s Bank and Trust
• Duke Energy
• Employer Payroll Solutions
• Florida Prepaid College Foundation
• Florida Southern College
• Horace Mann Insurance
• Huntington Learning Center
• Lakeland Magic
• Polk Education Association
• Polk State College
• Southeastern University

Additional Thanks:

• Epic Church Lakeland
• Harrison School for the Arts
• InnerAct Alliance
• Little Caesars, Lakeland
• Men’s Wearhouse, North Lakeland
• PCPS Department of Equity and Diversity Management
• PCPS Department of Fine Arts
• PCPS Transition Program
• Theatre Winter Haven
• Traviss Technical College Cosmetology Program
• Winter Haven Senior High Fashion Academy, Studio 21
• Bob Woods