The honorees will be recognized at an event today at the Courtyard by the Marriott in downtown Hamilton.
“Mr. Wilks created a legacy of honoring education,” said Katie Braswell, vice president of the Hamilton Community Foundation. “And we are proud to continue that legacy by recognizing deserving educators, with the support of the Harry T. Wilks Foundation.”
Braswell said carrying on the tradition of the late Harry Wilks, a 1943 Hamilton High School graduate who died in March 2014 at the age of 89, celebrates “his tremendous generosity to the community and to local education.”
Local schools were asked to consider the daily impact their nominee has on students, the community, and the school and provide examples of innovation and leadership. And every year, Braswell said the committee is “impressed by the caliber of educators in our local schools, and this year is no different.”
The 2022 Hamilton Celebrates Education Educators of Excellence include:
– Heather Adams, intervention specialist at St. Peter in Chains School
– Kristy Bailey, secretary at Crawford Woods Elementary School
– Emily Balsbaugh, 5th-grade language arts teacher at Bridgeport Elementary School
– Michelle Beck, 1st-grade teacher at Linden Elementary School
– Karen Bultman, kindergarten teacher at Fairwood Elementary School
– Melissa Carmody, intervention specialist at Garfield Middle School
– Tracy Francis, speech therapist at The Miami School
– Becky Huber, 2nd grade English teacher at Highland Elementary School
– Cara Kerchner, nurse at Brookwood Elementary School
– Sarah Martin, 1st-grade teacher at St. Joseph Consolidated Schools
– Zach Mills, 6th-grade teacher at Ridgeway Elementary School
– Krisstina Monnig, music teacher at St. Ann Catholic School
– Melissa Moser, STEM teacher at Queen of Peace School
– Mike Neri, English teacher at Hamilton High School Main Campus
– Gabby Sims, English/ESL teacher at Hamilton High School Freshman Campus
– Amy Soldner, preschool director at Immanuel Lutheran School
– Michelle St. Laurent, math coach at Riverview Elementary School
– Wendy Tuttle, data app specialist at Wilson Middle School
– Paul Zimmerman, social studies teacher at Stephen T Badin High School
The event will include student musical entertainment by students from Hamilton and Badin high schools.
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