Education Matters: Teacher awards, national honors, metro-east school fundraisers

February may be the shortest month of the year, but there’s still an abundance of metro-east education news.

Many local schools are rounding out the month with fundraisers, some of which I personally have never seen done before.

As usual, we have a number of students to congratulate for both local and national honors. Plus, the state board of education released its 2026 Teacher of the Year cohort and Those Who Excel awardees. You’re bound to see a name or two that you recognize.

Local educators get state honors

Each year, the Illinois State Board of Education names Regional and Specialized Teachers of the Year and Those Who Excel Awardees.

The regional and specialized teachers of the year with five or more years of teaching experience qualify for the Illinois Teacher of the Year, which will be announced later, ISBE says.

Bethalto School District 8’s Angie Neilson, a teacher at Civic Memorial High School, is the Southern Regional Teacher of the Year.

There are three categories within the Those Who Excel awards, which recognize teachers, early career educators, administrators, student support personnel and volunteers, ISBE says. The Award of Excellence is the highest Those Who Excel honor and praises those who collaborate with others, are committed to equity and overall strive to make their school better.

The Award of Meritorious Service celebrates those who are examples for others in their profession, boost learning culture and “have become integral members of their schools and districts.” Finally, the Award of Special Recognition is for “those who have been recognized by their colleagues, students, families and administrators for the skills, passions and talents they bring to their school community,” ISBE says.

Here are local Those Who Excel awardees:

• Belleville 118’s Grace Tantillo, Award of Special Recognition - Early Career Educator 
• Belleville 201’s Brandon Hentze, Award of Special Recognition - Classroom Teacher
• Whiteside’s Taryn Harwell, Award of Special Recognition - Classroom Teacher
• East St. Louis District 189’s Meonshai Houston, Award of Special Recognition - Classroom Teacher 
• East St. Louis District 189’s Lashaunda Ross, Award of Excellence - Student Support Personnel
• East St. Louis District 189’s Myisha Ross, Award of Special Recognition - Early Career Educator 
• East St. Louis District 189’s Kurt Warner, Award of Meritorious Service - School Administrator 
• O’Fallon Township High School District 203’s Tracey Ritzel, Award of Meritorious Service - Student Support Personnel 
• Collinsville District 10’s Leah Davis, Award of Meritorious Service - School Administrator 
• Freeburg 70’s Sarah Gagen, Award of Meritorious Service - Classroom Teacher
• Freeburg 77’s Michelle Etter, Award of Excellence - Classroom Teacher
• Alton School District 11’s Evan Howard,  Award of Meritorious Service, Early Career Educator 
• Alton School District 11’s Emily Lacy,  Award of Special Recognition - Educational Service Personnel
• Collinsville School District 10’s Leah Davis, Award of Meritorious Service- School Administrator
• Edwardsville School District 7’s Shanyra Cox, Award of Excellence - Student Support Personnel 
• Triad School District 2’s Lisa Patterson, Award of Special Recognition-Classroom Teacher
• Red Brick Safe School’s (Monroe County) Jamie Wasser-Goforth, Award of Meritorious Service-Early Career Educator
• Coulterville School District 1’s Jenny Dyson, Award of Special Recognition-Classroom Teacher

Honor Roll

It’s time to give a round of applause to our students of the month.

At Belleville East, we have freshman Anthony Blanks-Adenekan, sophomore Kaedon Lane, junior Jacqueline Altmansberger and senior Jordan Osborn. Millstadt Consolidated School District’s Optimist Student of the Month is Kynedi Larsen.

Central School District 104 recently announced its January Superintendent Shout Out recipients: Mariam Ashkar and Elijah Bedeau.

Grace Langenstein is a Hornet Hero! Freeburg District 70 wrote in a Facebook post honoring Grace that “she is consistently being recognized for being polite and kind to everyone around her. Students have shared how she goes out of her way to make sure others have a place to sit at lunch and someone to play with at recess.”

A handful of seventh and eighth graders at Collinsville Middle School were recognized with a positive office referral for being “Kahok Kaught demonstrating exceptional character, responsibility and effort,” a school Facebook post explains. Way to go to the following students: Dani Juan Espinosa-Salomon, Cole Burns, Gram Stelmach, Liam Walker, Vidal Hernandez, Evelyn Lopez-Marquez, Keon Oliver, Angel Morales-Roblero, Maverick Hare, Dominick Ramirez-Torres, Carter Davis, Blayni King, Justice Anderson, Sandra Perez, Isabella Richmond, Amalia Gonzalez and Cameron Brownlee.

The Belleville Township High School District 201 board recognized Belleville West sophomore Lillian Herling and West’s CTE Department Chair and head softball coach Kassandra Schaab. Principal Malcolm Hill highlighted Herling’s nearly 5.0 weighted GPA, plethora of extracurriculars, volunteering commitments and leadership as a multi-sport athlete. He said that “Belleville West is more than work, it is truly home to Kassandra,” explaining Schaab graduated from the school and eventually returned to teach there before stepping into her CTE role.

Belleville East Senior and the school’s English Honor Society President Brennen Teeter’s article “Breaking Free: The Story of Charlie Parker” was featured in the Feb. 5 National English Honor Society Newsletter.

Also at Belleville East, senior Aubrey Heins was recognized through the National Art Education Association’s Rising Stars Secondary Recognition Program.

Congrats to East St. Louis School District 189’s spelling bee champions. In the third and fourth grade division, Wyvetter Younge School of Excellence’s JoSunda Lister took first, Paul Laurence Dunbar Elementary’s D’Aysia Scott took second and James Avant Elementary’s Terrance Sawyer took third. In the fifth and sixth grade division, Mason-Clark Middle School’s Makayla Washington won first, James Avant Elementary’s Asha Taggert took second and Wyvetter Young School of Excellence’s Olivia Johnson McNeely came in third. In the seventh and eighth grade division, Wyvetter Younge School of Excellence’s Kenzel Webber came out on top and was followed by fellow Wyvetter Younge student Aden Mumphard; Lincoln Middle School’s Devin Westbrook took third.

Also in East St. Louis, Wyvetter Younge School of Excellence seventh grader Dalyla Rodgers is the district’s winner of the local VFW Post 3480 Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest. Her essay will now go to the state-level competition. “This distinguished honor recognizes her outstanding writing and thoughtful reflection on civic values,” a school board recognition says.

The District 189 board recognitions also highlighted good work students and the school community are doing to help their neighbors. East St. Louis High School’s National Honor Society earned a service project grant from the National Association of Secondary School Principals for collecting diapers, clothing, blankets and other baby essentials as part of their Community Baby Shower.

Catrice Johnson at Gordon Bush Alternative Center and others on the East St. Louis School District’s social work and counseling team coordinated with the United Way to bring the 100 Neediest Families Program to life. Actually, 315 families received holiday gifts, donated resources and monetary support for bills and more through the program. Their stories, along with others receiving assistance through the program across the St. Louis region, can be found at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s website stltoday.com. “Beyond meeting immediate needs, this collective effort reinforced a powerful message of compassion, dignity and shared responsibility across the district,” the February board recognitions read.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has been presenting Meridian Scholarships this month. Recipients receive four full years of tuition, fees and campus housing. A few local high schools have posted on social media to celebrate their students who have been awarded the top honor; Congrats to SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School’s Anthony Ayers

Collinsville High School is getting a new pedestrian bridge – one that’s literally made by students to serve students. Collinsville Area Vocational Center Welding I and II students designed the bridge and began fabricating it late last year, CAVC machining students made brackets to secure lettering and cut metal, and CAVC’s auto body class will paint. At its January board meeting, a number of welding students were recognized: Devin Walker, Trever Staub, Luke Killian, Miguel Calixto, Morgan Darden, Morgan Heintz, William Huerta, Junior Huerta-Rodriguez, Myles Jones, Armando Ortega, Ayden Perez, Dalton Phegley, Jose Robles, Landon Rodawald, Rylee Staley, Benjamin Tillman, Lucas Zagorski, Anthony Bohn, Deandre Bradshaw, Christopher Carey, Landon Farris, Lukas Click, Cole Hearty, Edward Hunter, Caden Johnson, Malia Schaffer, Ty Starko, Andrew Garcia and Liam Murphy. Homerro Serrano and Kevin Scott also helped but graduated last semester.

O’Fallon Township High School inducted three alumni into its Athletics Wall of Fame: Class of 2015’s Donovan Franklin, basketball standout who now is the assistant basketball coach at McKendree University; Class of 2013’s Todd Porter, football and basketball; and Class of 2015’s Sean Workman, boys swimming.

Belleville West English Teacher Adam Jenkins was recently named a sectional finalist for the National Federation for State High School Association Speech and Debate Educator of the Year.

Dawn Elser Elementary School Paraprofessional Donna Schmittling was recently featured in Central School District 104’s staff spotlight. Schmittling has cared for people of all ages throughout her professional career, from preschoolers to older individuals in assisted living communities.

Mark your Calendars

Many of our metro-east schools have super creative fundraisers this year!

Now through 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 23, Signal Hill families can bid on several cool prizes through an online silent auction: being principal for a day, front-row seats to the 8th grade play, front-row seats to 8th grade graduation, events with your favorite teachers and more. Visit www.32auctions.com/SHS2026 and good luck!

Whiteside School District is doing a service project to Benefit Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a local nonprofit that donates mattresses, bedding and beds they built to families in need. Students can donate through Feb. 27; for every $1 donated students are entered into a weekly drawing. If the district’s goal of $500 is reached, students will be rewarded with a silly sports assembly.

Roosevelt PTA is hosting a Glo Bingo night to benefit the school on Saturday, Feb. 21 at BelleVegas Bingo Hall, 517 S. Illinois St. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the game starts at 7 p.m. Tickets can be bought at the door for $30 or in-advance for $25 online at glo-bingo.com/events. Tickets include six bingo cards, glo hat and dauber, but additional cards can be purchased. Snacks can be brought in, and there will also be a cash bar, auction and raffle.

Can Freeburg District 70 students fill a whole bus with food and other household essentials? Students will try to “stuff the bus” from Feb. 23-27. Send your child to their homeroom with any of the following items to help out: canned fruit and veggies, cookie mix, cake mix/icing, pancake mix, syrup, cereal, Hamburger helper, pasta, pizza supplies, soup, peanut butter, diapers and wipes, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, dish soap, shampoo or conditioner.

East St. Louis School District 189 has a Key Communicator Network where parents, students and community members will get to chat with and ask questions to Superintendent Arthur Culver and other district leaders from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24 at the Board of Education Building, 1005 State St.

Do you have dinner plans for Wednesday? Henry Raab School has a Papa John’s fundraiser at its 3809 N Belt West Belleville location during its operating hours Wednesday, Feb. 25. Use the promo code DOUGH when you order online, via phone or in-person to get an order discount and donate 20% of your order to the school.

Grant fifth graders are preparing for their special Gallery of Heroes living wax museum. From 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Grant Middle School, students will showcase essays, presentations and art project busts in honor of Black History Month.

Qdoba’s 5880 Belleville Crossing Location is Doing a Dine to Donate. It’s donating 25% of its sales from customers with a special code to Franklin Elementary from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26. See Franklin Elementary’s Facebook page for a scannable QR code, or, for those ordering online, use the coupon code QDOBAGIVES.

Collinsville Middle School’s family trivia night is Friday, Feb. 27 at the school. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and trivia starts at 6 p.m. The cost is $30 per table with an eight-person maximum and at least one parent or guardian must be at each table. Sign up online at bit.ly/CMStrivianight.

Belleville West High School is hosting a college planning info session from 7-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 at the high school’s Performing Arts Center. Sophomores, juniors and their families are invited to learn about scholarships, testing, transcripts and more.

Westhaven Elementary kiddos and parents/guardians, the school is hosting a STREAM Night (Science, Technology, Reading/Writing, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) from 4-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 at the school. There will be art, science, books and a St. Patrick’s Day-themed snack.

Signal Hill’s Penny War to benefit St. Baldrick’s is going on now through Friday, Feb. 27. Send your student to school with pennies to help their grade level win the competition for a party, with silver coins to count against a rival grade or cash to make a play of their choice. All money goes to fund a cure for childhood cancer. This year five students are getting their heads shaved for the cause.

If you live within Pontiac William Holliday School District 105 in Fairview Heights, you will help decide during the spring primary election if a new school will be built. The district is hosting an open house from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Monday, March 2 in the William Holliday Dome to discuss the bond issuance with the community and why the district feels it’s necessary.

East St. Louis’ Paul Laurence Dunbar Elementary school is showing that “Real Women Read” from 9-11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3, and they are also looking for local women to volunteer. If you’re interested in volunteering, call 618-646-3846 by Friday, Feb. 27. The school is located at 1835 Tudor Ave.

In Case You Missed It:

• Belleville Township High School District 201 is moving along with issuing $18 million in working cash bonds to finance various improvements at its campuses. Read our coverage to see what your school is getting.
• The Cahokia Federation of Teachers is launching hefty accusations against school district leadership ranging from people getting paid but not working to an administrator making $406,000 above their contracted salary for one fiscal year. The union said they have documentation obtained via whistleblowers and public records requests to support their claims. The BND has filed its own records requests and is waiting for the district’s response, expected at the end of this month.
• Brought to you by our friends at the Republic-Times, Monroe County Christian School is doing a capital campaign in hopes of building a new campus, allowing it to move its current home at HOPE Christian Church. Read more at republictimes.net.