Teachers, administrators, school nurses and support staff from throughout the county’s school districts were recognized at the inaugural Lake County Educator of the Year Awards ceremony at the Lake County Fairgrounds Wednesday.
Regional Superintendent of Schools Michael Karner called schools’ health care providers the superheroes who have kept students and staff safe during a trying time.
“They helped tremendously to keep our schools open,” he said.
The event was a way for Karner and his staff to show appreciation to those in the education field.
“Every person in a school district helps make a child’s day,” Karner said.
The evening included a dinner before the award ceremony, which consisted of video snippets from the 54 nominees in seven categories — early childhood, middle and high school teacher, diverse learner teacher, administrator, student support personnel and educational service personnel.
The educator of the year award was given to Laura Yost. U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Deerfield, presented it to her.
Yost is a math interventionist at Wauconda High School in Wauconda Community Unit School District 118. She started her career at Lake Zurich High School and has been teaching for 29 years.
“The best part of being in education is the relationships you get to have with students,” she said. “They’re just beginning their lives, and it’s great to be able to see their enthusiasm and passion.”
Yost is also known for being a big part of the students’ extracurricular activities. She keeps score and announces at the boys and girls’ soccer and lacrosse games, and assists with choir and concerts.
The regional superintendent of the year award went to Jon Salaban, career and technical education teacher at Antioch Community High School District 117. Salaban facilitated the National Board of Certified Teachers cohort for Lake County this school year.
“His leadership is helping teachers from multiple school districts become national board certified,” Karner said.
Superintendent at Round Lake Area Schools Community Unit School District 116 Donn Mendoza was selected by his peers and awarded the Lake County Superintendent of the Year and Lake County Superintendent of Distinction.
One reason he was voted as such was his initiative to work with the Lake County health department last year to create one of two vaccine clinics at a school district to vaccinate Lake County schools staff.
The feat was described as monumental. On the stage Mendoza said, “Tonight was a culmination of so many people who are part of education.”
He later said he views his recognition as a community award. The adversity his school community has gone through navigating the pandemic, he said, has brought positives, such as bringing them closer together, instilling better communication and learning they can get through hard times with one another’s support and that of the community.
More than 240 people attended the first Lake County Educator of the Year Awards ceremony. Karner said he hopes it grows to hundreds more next year.
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Also recognized were Illinois State Board of Education north suburbs Teacher of the Year Elliot Hile, orchestra director and assistant band director, Lakes Community High School District 117; and Illinois Principals Association Assistant Principal of the Year Ryan Rubenstein, assistant principal in Lake Zurich District 95.
Mundelein High School 2021 graduate Trey Baker also spoke. He was recognized for his work, which includes being chairman of the Obama Foundation and chairman of the Lake County Juvenile Justice Council Youth Committee.
The 2022 Lake County Educator of the Year Awards winners are as follows:
Elementary/Early childhood teacher: Bridget Pyne, Wauconda Community Unit School District 118.
Middle school teacher: Carol McGill, Millburn School District 24.
High School teacher: Joseph May, Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95.
Diverse Learner teacher: Jessica Mitchell, Grant Community High School District 124.
School administrator: Principal Michael Grenda, North Chicago Community Unit School District 187.
Student support personnel: Tammie Carpenter, Woodland Community Consolidated School District 50.
Educational service personnel: Luis Cortez, Round Lake Area Schools Community Unit School District 116.