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