The awards recognize stand out staff members during the 2021-2022 school year
Foundation for Blind Children hosts 4th Annual Pillar Awards on May 5, 2022. The awards recognize stand out staff members who exemplified FBC’s core values: professionalism, student progress, leadership and development, professional growth and family engagement. These core values separate FBC from other educational settings and drive FBC’s quest to be the best in the world at caring for students with vision loss.
About 140 teachers and staff from FBC’s three campuses were present for the two-hour ceremony held in the Pulliam Gym on FBC’s Central campus. Attendees enjoyed samplings of salsa as part of an employee “salsa showdown”. Sixteen staff members entered the competition with a variety of homemade salsas. Celeste Teply won the competition with her mango habanero salsa. Attendees also enjoyed a delicious lunch donated by Mesquite Fresh Street Mex.
Throughout the ceremony, Jared Kittelson, FBC Chief Operating Officer, emphasized the value of the Pillar Awards. The effort began through a series of conversations with staff over five years. More recently, the Pillar Awards have evolved to include all educators at FBC including Early Intervention, Preschool, Elementary, Itinerant, Adult and Transition, SHARP, Teen to Work and College Prep and the Arizona State University Teacher of the Visually Impaired Program.
Please join FBC in recognizing award winners below:
Pillar Awards
Professionalism: Kelly Wilson
Student Progress: West Lee
Professional Growth: Claire Fineberg
Leadership and Development: Amy Lewis
Family Engagement: Bernice Medina
Early intervention Awards
Everyone in the Pool: Jillian Salasek
Rock Star: Nakeshea Lewis
School Based Awards
Everyday Hero: Maureen Houser
Helping Hand: Dina Dogin
Ultimate Team Player: Daisy Zambrano
Rehabilitation Services Awards
Extra Mile: Kellie Brown
Collaborative Spirit: Garrett Pendergast
Team Player: Fred Hall
Rookie of the Year: Amanda Sella
Whatever It Takes: Melanie Audet
Emerging Instructor: Ivan Santiago
