KU News Release

KU honors high school teachers with awards for excellence

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas has awarded four high school teachers the Wolfe Teaching Excellence Award, which recognizes educators who have encouraged and positively influenced students in their academic careers.

The award recipients are Maggie Carr, Paola High School; Anita Lemons, Blue Valley High School, Stilwell; Tiffany Richard, Olathe East High School; and Russell Thiel, Andover High School.

Recipients will receive a cash award of $3,000, and their respective high schools will receive $1,000. Candidates were nominated by their former students and selected by a committee of faculty, administrators and students from KU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and School of Education. Candidates from all disciplines were eligible to apply.

“The Wolfe awards are given to the best secondary teachers for the tremendous impact that they have on the students they have taught,” said Rick Ginsberg, dean of the School of Education. “At a time when the public, policy-makers and the media are all recognizing the importance of having good teachers and effective schools, it is appropriate to honor those teachers who have changed the lives of their students.”

The recipients will be honored during commencement weekend at the School of Education convocation ceremony and during a dinner held in their honor.

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