June 12 – RISE Nominations

“Ms. Sally has exhibited extraordinary compassion and patience in guiding each child’s unique journey of discovery and development. Her ability to connect with children on an individual level has fostered a sense of trust and confidence, laying a solid foundation for future academic and social success. Her gentle guidance, compassionate mentorship, and infectious enthusiasm have left an indelible mark on each child who had the privilege of being in her care.”

Nominated by: Megan Handy, parent

“Ms. Brooks has demonstrated remarkable passion, patience, and empathy in her role as a preschool aid, profoundly impacting the lives of the children under her care. Through her genuine care and nurturing guidance, she has created a nurturing environment where every child feels valued, supported, and encouraged to explore, learn, and thrive. Her profound impact on the lives of countless young learners and her dedication to creating a nurturing and stimulating learning environment will be remembered and cherished for years to come.“

Nominated by: Megan Handy, parent

“Ms. Ball is the best teacher and makes us all feel like we need to be in class. We love her so much as a teacher!“

Nominated by: Haley White, student

“Dehart is my favorite teacher at the school. She is incredible and connecting with students and is kind to everyone who she meets. I love taking her class even though I don’t always understand the material. When I don’t understand she talks with me personally and explains it in a way that I will understand it better. She doesn’t let the tests results define how you do in her class. She offers fair remediation without just giving everyone an A on the test. She requests students for SKYtime to learn the subject they struggled with on the tests. Dehart had my whole family, and we all loved her!“

Nominated by: Grayce Ball, student

“I very recently lost my oldest sister. It’s the hardest thing that I have EVER went through. Mrs. Garcia is the only teacher that came to the funeral. She’s sent me personal emails about life and that if I need anything, her room is always open for some quiet time. She has been helping me with my late work and stress in general. I honestly feel like she is one of the very few teachers who actually cares about me. She gives me space when I need it and very hopeful words when I feel most down.“

Nominated by: Paul Miner, student

“Natalie Everitt is truly a Remarkable educator. Our son struggled socially, and she Inspired him to be the happy, friendly boy he is today. Our daughter started this year refusing to come out of the “quiet center” each day, but through Miss Natalie’s consistent Encouragement, she is now playing and participating in the fun, educational activities each day. We are amazed at the progress she’s made in this short time. Though Natalie deserves the RISE award, she is so Selfless, she has been asking parents to instead nominate her aides, Miss Sally and Miss Brooks, to recognize their hard work.“

Nominated by: Katie Hanneman, parent

“Cynthia has gone above and beyond to manage testing in a way that has supported teachers and students. Her dedication and attention to detail have made our testing process smooth and very clear for all that are involved. We are so thankful that she has made a normally arduous process rather quick and painless. THANK YOU, Ms. Burt for all of your commitment to the Oak Canyon community!“

Nominated by: Taralyn Holmes, district employee

“Mrs. Scott is so kind. She is really good at giving advice. Mrs. Scott is really good at making me laugh and is a good listener. I remember multiple times after school I would sit and tell her stories and ask for advice. I remember I was having a really bad day because my crush was being a jerk and she told me that “Don’t worry about if they like you. Just worry about if you like them”. It has always stuck with me. I love her so much.“

Nominated by: Lexi von Gostomski, student

“Mrs. Campbell is a great teacher. I remember i stayed after school so many times for help with math and she would help me a lot. I love her a lot. I really appreciate her.”

Nominated by: Lexi von Gostomski, student

“Ms. Nelson deserves this award because she is a great teacher and she teaches very good. She takes us places like the Utah Symphony, and to festivals to learn how to play our instruments better. She is funny nice and has to put up with some loud kids.”

Nominated by: Colt Smith, student

“Ms. Rammell teaches in such a way where I’m actually interested in the topic being taught. I think this is mostly because you can tell she actually likes her job and wants to teach; she doesn’t just go through the motions of teaching like a lot of teachers do. All around, Rammell is a great teacher because not only does she have fun with her teaching, but she also isn’t strict, so therefore, I have more of a motivation to actually do my work.“

Nominated by: Lexi Winrow, student

“Mr. Ercanbrack is amazing! He knows how to make class fun and meaningful. Ercanbrack would play music in class and it would help me stay more focused. He found ways to make assignments more interesting and fun to learn. We are assigned class jobs to earn class money. We had weekly finances to pay off. I paid for a desk/home to sit at in class. This helped me learn how to save money and put my needs before my wants. Financial Lit was so much more fun then I would ever have thought. Learning about money and how to budget and save was great for me to learn about applying it to my future.“

Nominated by: Clarissa Remington, student

“Mr. Erc has been an amazing teacher. He is teaching my Real Estate and Investing classes, entertaining and engaging when he teaches. He also has spiked my interest in Real Estate. He also gives us lots of time to finish our assignments and catch up in other classes as well. He has also brought in professional guest speakers that we can ask questions to and learn about.”

Nominated by: Trey Buttars, student

“Mr. Sam Kekuaokalani is the best, most supportive teacher. Coach K loves to see people progress and work hard. He loves to help his students learn how to lift correctly and push passed their limits. Coach loves to party with the class, dancing to the music on the speakers and getting hyped with people when they hit a new max. Coach helps so many feel so happy. He motivates the students to push themselves to get bigger and better.“

Nominated by: Enoch McConkie, student

“Mr.Tuckett cared about my grades more than I did. He was always willing to sit down with me helping me with my assignments. He is a very great teacher. He is amazing at explaining how the assignments where supposed to look like He never failed to disappoint. He has a passion for helping students whenever they need it. When most teachers were moving forward and not helping to understand Mr Tuckett went out of his way every time to make sure everyone understood. Mr Tuckett is a great motivation to get all my stuff in on time.“

Nominated by: Jordan Hastings, student

“Mr Tuckett should earn the Rise Award. Last year I was struggling with English with a couple of other people. The teacher kept giving out 100 Point assignments and I was struggling to keep a good grade so Tuckett helped me with the assignments and the essays that the English teacher assigned. Tuckett helped Me and other kids with the assignments. We all passed English because of Tuckett’s help and that’s one of the reasons why Tuckett should get the Rise Award. Also Tuckett is one of the nicest teachers in the school and loves to help people who need his help.”

Nominated by: Preston Waite, student

“Mr Milne cared so much about me passing my classes and would always help me. He was always willing to sit down and go through my assignments that I was struggling with. He was more concerned about me passing my classes than I was. He is a great teacher and always knows when to have fun and stay focused on lessons. Milne is one of my favorite teachers and was the only teacher/ class I was excited for.“

Nominated by: Parker Ballantyne, student

“Mr. Milne the best teacher at Westlake. He cares about all of his students and he wants only the best for them. Sometimes Mr. Milne can be grouchy or ornery some days but that just shows that he is human too and he is down to earth. If you have an F in his class or other classes he will push you to get it up and he will give you resources to help. Mr. Milne is better than a lot of teachers and he is the most genuine, helpful, caring teacher at Westlake.“

Nominated by: Bryton Martinez, student

“Mrs. Allen has been the most wonderful teacher and coach. There are so many things I would love to share but I can only share a few. Genuinely she understands us and cares about us. For color guard she always pushes us to do our best. And if we have physical or mental problems she works with us to make a plan so we can recover. She’s always there to help with anything we may need. Summarizing what I’m trying to say, I don’t think I could’ve made it through high school without her.“

Nominated by: Savannah Jensen, student

“The Westlake teacher that helped me is my 11th grade English teacher Mr, Potter because he helped me learn words I didn’t know before. There were a lot of big words that I didn’t know and words I heard but not the meaning of them. He really made the class fun to be in and helped me learn in his class. I would want to have him as a teacher because of how fun and nice he is. I would miss him and all the teachers that I have had through the 3 years of being at Westlake when I graduate.“

Nominated by: Alexis Wilkinson, student

“Daniel epitomizes excellence in every aspect of his professional life. He is the consummate educator and learner who revels in continually refining his practice and working to guarantee that every student in his classes thrives and is seen. No one slips through the cracks under Mr. Potter’s stewardship. Additionally, Daniel leads all district English teachers as the Content Specialist. His vision is far-sighted, and he leads by example, always willing to generously share his expertise with kindness and positive encouragement. We are all better because of Mr. Potter’s dedication and commitment.”

Nominated by: Denise Lund, district employee

“Why I think Mr. Potter should deserve this award is because of how good he actually is at his job. He makes great relationships with students and acts like your friend instead of just a normal teacher. He does everything he possibly can to go into full detail about any assignment, and also makes it as easy as possible for us to pass his class. He can really explain things with great detail, making you understand everything he says. He’s super nice and always greets you at the door with a fist bump.”

Nominated by: Jaxen Kinyon, student

“Mrs.Merrill is the most amazing & energetic teacher. She is kind to everyone & always has the biggest smile on her face. She takes time to know all of her students, and has an amazing time teaching, making class fun & enjoyable every day. Her body language shows that she absolutely loves her students. She even communicates to her students that she thinks about every single one of them. She gives out the best energy and helps everyone be happy, even when she doesn’t know it. She’s helped me feel so confident & comfortable in class. Her class is the reason why I look forward to attending school.“

Nominated by: Angelina Vazquez, student

“Mr. Marshall has been a teacher that has helped all of us students learn and grow. He teaches in a manner that is respectful and interesting even if you’re not exactly interested in the topic. He also works a lot of the time with students after hours to help them. Mr. Marshall is someone who truly deserves the award because of all the work he has done for us students, especially for those of us taking the AP test. He helps us prepare and work hard for assignments and tests and he doesn’t have bias against or for any students. He truly RISES to the occasion.“

Nominated by: Joshua Morrison, student

“Mr. Marshall is the best he loves all his students and shows them how much he cares. He has helped me tremendously. I love the way he teaches how it gets everyone involved and no one feels uncomfortable. I always felt like i could go to him if i needed any help without being afraid of being judged. He is an outstanding teacher and an amazing person.”

Nominated by: Alexander Evans, student

“Tiffany Montoya is my unsung hero and is deserving of recognition. She has taught elementary school for over 17 years, and is no stranger at knowing what it takes to “roll with the punches.” She has a brilliant mind and uses it to enlighten the minds of so many fortunate students. She teaches with compassion and will not only give you “the shirt off of her back,” but offer to sew you a whole new wardrobe. She is gifted at really “seeing” the whole person, and reaching those who seem unreachable. There isn’t a kinder soul alive and I feel blessed to have learned from her.“

Nominated by: district employee

“Michelle is phenomenal with our preschool students. The students are excited to see her and the bus each day. Michelle decorates her bus for the various holidays and often times brings a snack for the children. Michelle lets the teachers know if there are any changes or if anything happens on the bus. Michelle is a huge advocate for our ‘smaller’ students. It can be scary sending a three year old on a bus, but with Michelle we know the children are in great hands. Thank you for all that you do!!“

Nominated by: Shauntell, Natalie, April, and Sally, district employees (Legacy Elementary)

“Ms Williams is a great influence to our child and truly loves her students, and wants them to succeed. She takes the time to let us know about any concerns, and works with us to find solutions to help our kid succeed.“

Nominated by: Brendan Grill, parent

“Mr. Seastrand has been a great teacher for me. He cares about his students and makes sure to know each student’s name. He cares about student’s learning information rather than just getting curriculum. He comes to events outside of school to support his students. He sees me.“

Nominated by: Jana Patlan, student

“Mr. Seastrand is remarkable, inspiring, selfless, and encouraging. He makes learning fun and engaging. He cares about our learning and not just getting through the material. He cares for his students and makes class enjoyable.”

Nominated by: Gabi Dahl, student

“Miss Hatch is a phenomenal teacher. She has taught me a lot in 3 years. She has helped me develop my voice in ways I never thought possible, and she is my biggest cheerleader. I come to her for advice on if I can become a professional singer because that’s my dream. She is always brutally honest with me. I really appreciate her for that because if she wasn’t brutally honest with me and told me that I could make it if I couldn’t, I wouldn’t be able to trust her again. I always listen to her advice and I implement it, and she’s always been right!“

Nominated by: McKenna Ann Myntti, student

“Ashley sets the standard of excellence for teaching in Orchestra in our district. Not only does she do an incredible job balancing programs at both Vista Heights MS and Westlake HS, but students at both schools show outstanding learning. In addition to her skill as an education practitioner, Ashley does an incredible job of helping each student to feel a sense of belonging and identity. Orchestra in her classroom is a welcoming safe space where students are challenged to stretch themselves and inspired to be excellent.“

Nominated by: Sterling Keyes, district employee

“She has been an amazing teacher who always encourages me along to get better at the cello and makes class fun for everyone.”

Nominated by: Cameron MacKay, student

“She is always kind to the students. ALWAYS. There are no students left out, no matter the activity. During class, Mrs. Braithwaite makes sure everyone is included and participating. She is funny and connects with the students on a personal level, to efficiently teach in a good and healthy way. Her class feels connecting and I always look forward to being taught by her. Mrs. Braithwaite is very fun, happy to be around, and inspiring. As a student, she has been my favorite teacher for years of my schooling. She is amazing and deserves to be recognized. We love Mrs. Braithwaite.”

Nominated by: Austin Atkinson

“You are super kind and always supportive of your student’s ideas. We are always very productive in class and you are the best.”

Nominated by: Owen Parker, student

June 12 – RISE Nominations

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