August 28 – RISE Nominations
“I’m not sure there has ever been another bus driver as fantastic as Will Mosbarger. Alpine District hit the jackpot with this employee. I could go on and on about why we feel that way, but I’ll touch on a few details. Will always arrives at our house with the biggest smile on his face, and as soon as he opens the bus door, he shouts out, “Good morning, Oliver! How are you doing?” That warmth that he provides every day has been so wonderful for our family and helps Oliver feel safe and loved. Not only does Will have his assistant text us when they are 5 minutes away from every single drop-off/pick-up, but if there are going to be delays, they message us about those so we don’t worry. (We also appreciate and admire his assistant, Nick, too!) If the sidewalks are snowy or icy, Will gets out of the bus (even in a snowstorm) to hold Oliver by the hand to ensure he doesn’t slip. Will truly goes above and beyond for the safety and well-being of these children. We couldn’t say enough wonderful things about Will and hope to have him as Oliver’s bus driver for as long as possible.“
Nominated by: Carli & Alex Wilcox, parents
“Josefina is amazing an cook, and puts in the effort to serve delicious meals with the big smile!“
Nominated by: Mariela Rios, district employee
“I nominate Jalayne Engberg, our outstanding Orientation and Mobility Specialist. Jalayne empowers students with visual impairments to confidently navigate their environments, from school hallways to city streets. Her dedication is unmatched—she selflessly invests countless hours helping students achieve independence. Jalayne’s unwavering support helps her students gain the confidence to navigate challenges. As a passionate advocate for the blind and visually impaired community, she embodies the Remarkable, Inspiring, Selfless, and Encouraging spirit of the RISE Award.“
Nominated by: Zach Eagar, district employee
“Nancy is a leader. She is an amazing teacher and her students come back year after year to see her. She inspires us to be prepared and work hard for students, but to also take a break when needed. She is also amazing at making connections with coworkers, students, and parents. I am honored to be able to call her my friend and work with her every day.”
Nominated by: Colleen Guerrero, district employee
“Shantel teaches 2nd grade and I can tell by the students that she sent to my 3rd grade class that she is AMAZING! Her former students came well prepared and ready to learn. When you walk by her class you can be sure that she is engaged with students and making learning fun.“
Nominated by: Colleen Guerrero, district employee
“Amber is one of the most hardworking teachers I have ever had the opportunity to work with. She puts her heart into everything she does. She is a wonderful example to me of how to be supportive of students interests and passions while helping them be successful in school.“
Nominated by: Colleen Guerrero, district employee
“Mrs. Burnham is a truly remarkable 5th grade teacher who inspires her students every day with her selflessness and enthusiasm. She goes above and beyond to make learning exciting and accessible. Her encouraging words and genuine belief in each child’s potential foster a positive classroom environment where students feel valued and motivated. Mrs. Burnham’s dedication and kindness not only help her students excel academically but also teach them the importance of empathy and perseverance. Her influence extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the futures of all her students.“
Nominated by: Kourtne Ringger, district employee
“We really appreciate all that Mrs. Burnham did for our son last year as his teacher. Through her consistent, positive encouragement, she inspired him to always be his best and he was able to have a fantastic year! We are so grateful for her and the lasting impact that she made on him and all of her students through her diligence and hard work. She is a tremendous teacher!”
Nominated by: Ashleigh Shirley, parent
“JoAnn exemplifies the RISE acronym as the Colorguard Coach at Cedar Valley. She is remarkably kind, caring, compassionate and wonderful. She inspires her students to achieve their best through hard word and determination. She is selfless giving hours and hours of her time to help the team learn new skills. She is encouraging because she keeps her interactions with students so positive and uplifting. My child has improved because JoAnn takes time to help fix the little and big things. It has been a challenging year and the team has rallied because of JoAnn’s leadership.“
Nominated by: Ashley Becar, parent
“My daughter had Megan Cudworth for English and Creative Writing last year. She loved both classes! She spent all term quoting her teacher, telling us things she said or did. She loved Ms. Cudworth and wants to be a writer. Thank you for all you do!“
Nominated by: Cami Beacham, parent
“Maestra Bethany is essential to the success of our 2nd grade Spanish immersion class! Her bilingual skills, enthusiasm, and cultural sensitivity make Spanish learning engaging and accessible, boosting students’ confidence. Bethany is proactive, assisting Maestra Amanda by anticipating needs and providing tailored support. She’s always willing to try new approaches and adapts quickly to any situation. Her dedication to enjoyable learning and her strong connections with students make her an invaluable part of our classroom. Te quiero, Bethany! <3“
Nominated by: Amanda Banuelos, district employee
“Alice Coombs, our dedicated school librarian, goes above and beyond to make the library a welcoming haven for our students. She tirelessly works extra hours, pouring her heart into creating engaging challenges and activities that spark a love of reading. Her commitment is evident not only in her time but also in her willingness to invest her own resources to ensure that every student feels inspired and excited about books. Alice’s passion and dedication make her an invaluable asset to our school community.“
Nominated by: Pete Gallant, district employee
“Steve helped us with our OHS reunion and he was so wonderful! He was willing to do whatever we asked, he made sure he was available if we needed him, and he was so kind and patient with us. We needed a LOT of help, and he just took care of everything. Our reunion was a huge success thanks to all his work and efforts. He is AWESOME and deserves a raise!“
Nominated by: Lucy Gibbons, OHS graduate
“Chad was hit pretty hard this summer with teachers and staff members under his supervision leaving at the last minute. He had to hire a lot of teachers/support staff and he never worried, never panicked, was patient and was able to hire some amazing teachers, advocates, and paras for our SpED department. I am grateful to have him at Orem as a calm presence when the rest of us are running around like the sky is falling. He always knows what to do and how to do it. He’s a super valuable resource at Orem High School.“
Nominated by: Tammy Stuart, district employee
“Chelsea is one of the most supportive administrators I have ever worked with. She works very hard to ensure that things run smoothly and things are taken care of in a timely manner. She made Chromebook checkout a dream this year.“
Nominated by: Lori Bullock, district employee
“Ashley Becar is an amazing teacher. She goes above and beyond to be there for the kids and to always be positive. She is always smiling and happy. She loves to help anyone who may need it.“
Nominated by: Nicole Savage, district employee
“Tracy is the kind of student advocate and teacher that any parent would want their child to have. She is the definition of a warm-demander, holding her students to appropriately achievable expectations with love and respect. She is an expert at understanding what students are capable of and what it takes for them to achieve success.“
Nominated by: Bryan Boothe, district employee
“Teachers are great at tracking academic progress, but may have a harder time tracking how a child feels because kids are good at masking their true feelings. Melissa Leatherwood has a knack for scoping those kids who are struggling with their emotions. She cares deeply about the kids who seek her guidance and she will do whatever is in her power to make them feel comfortable and safe at school. She’s great at keeping open lines of communication with parents and teachers alike regarding the well being of a student and kids feel safe to come to her for help and emotional support.“
Nominated by: Ken Orr, parent
“Skyler is amazing. Not only does he keep our school maintained well he also gets to know the kids. He has been so helpful to even change and air up bike tires for some of the kids. Desert Sky is lucky to have such a selfless person working for them.“
Nominated by: Nicole Savage, district employee
“Mrs. Anderson is so great to her students. She takes the time to get to know them and will even stop by a sporting event or other activity for the kids in her class or the kids that were in her class before. She is sweet, genuine, and all around someone I am thankful for in my child’s life.”
Nominated by: Nicole Savage, district employee
“Mrs. Guerrero is simply amazing. She is kind, positive, and always has a smile on her face. She goes out of her way for the kids in her class. I’ve have seen her work with children that need a little more attention and she is happy to be present for them. Her class loves and adores her and so does the staff. Thank you Mrs. Guerrero for your hard work. It is noticed.”
Nominated by: Nicole Savage, district employee
“Colleen is an AMAZING teacher, friend and leader. She keeps our team running smoothly and is always looking ahead to what’s coming up and getting us prepared so that our students can learn without missing a beat. She helps anyone in need at the drop of a hat and is probably one of the most capable people I know. Her students and parents adore her and know how lucky they are to have hit the jackpot in the teacher lottery! I pretty much want to be Colleen when I grow up!”
Nominated by: Nancy DeBry, district employee
“Erica has gone through a lot with her cancer she had and she has always shown up for her students. She is always willing to jump in to new positions if needed. All her kids love her and her teaching method is amazing!! She is always happy and would never let anyone know she is in pain or sad. She truly is inspiring!!“
Nominated by: Sasha Stanley, district employee
“Sara is amazing. She is so loving and kind to the kids at the school it actually makes my eyes tear up. My children have experienced the love that Sara has for them. We call her their “school mom.” Sara, thank you for being such a positive bright light that children (especially mine) can look to at school.“
Nominated by: Nicole Savage, parent
“Asa is all about positivity and helping students and teachers be their best. He’s always willing to go out of his way to serve students, even in difficult situations. His sense of humor keeps tough situations more bearable. He’s just a cool guy!“
Nominated by: Kimberly Milne, district employee
“I love working with Lisa! She is always networking with other departments to help grow the media center to support student learning. She is hardworking and dedicated to her job. With all the changes the media center has gone through, Lisa has been encouraging and accepting of the new organization.“
Nominated by: Stefanie Gilbert, district employee
“Ms. Bentley is an incredible teacher! Last year, she helped our daughter make tremendous progress academically and socially. She is kind, patient, caring, happy, consistent, and gave our 1st grader the best year we could have asked for as parents. We are so grateful for her and the lasting impact that she made on our daughter and all of her students. She is amazing!“
Nominated by: Ashleigh Shirley, parent
“We are nominating Mrs. Liz Hansen! Our son is an 8th grader and after going to Mrs. Hansen’s class for ONE day came to us with the biggest smile we’ve ever seen and tears in his eyes saying, “I just can’t stop smiling! Her ‘vibe’ is so good and happy and energetic. I couldn’t stop smiling all class!” We are so grateful Mrs. Hansen made the first day of Spanish 1 for our child so meaningful.“
Nominated by: Danny & Kelly Horne, parents
“Our oldest is a 10th grader now enrolled at Westlake. Math is not the easiest of subjects for our daughter and out the gate to start this school year, Mrs. Benham has won the heart of our daughter (& us!). Our daughter shares the highest of praise about Mrs. Benham’s teaching style and our daughter told us recently, “I love the math class and I feel like I’m finally starting to understand it. She teaches it really, really well.” Thank you Mrs. Benham for your amazing teaching style and reaching our daughter.“
Nominated by: Danny & Kelly Horne, parents
“So far this year our daughter has loved Mr. Pickett’s class. Mr. Pickett is a master teacher with exceptional talent and passion for his content and it shows in his connection with students. We are so grateful for him and his dedication to the students in our community. Thank you Mr. Pickett!“
Nominated by: Danny & Kelly Horne, parents
“Mrs. Hepworth has been an absolutely incredible English teacher for our daughter. Mrs. Hepworth took time out of her busy schedule after school recently to go out of her way, meet with us and tell us how much she loves having our daughter in class and how amazing she is. It was so awesome to get that encouragement from her English teacher and we are grateful for her and the time she took to share that with us. Keep it up, Mrs. Hepworth!“
Nominated by: Danny & Kelly Horne, parents
“Mrs Taylor deserves the award because she is the best business office teacher ever. She loves her students very much.“
Nominated by: Nathan Kunze, student
