LITERACY CHAMPION AWARD
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Literacy Champion Award
Do you know a Literacy Champion?
A Literacy Champion is a local classroom educator who has gone above and beyond to improve literacy in our community. Now in its 6th year, The Literacy Champion Award is presented to two early childhood educators teaching in preschool through 3rd grade.
Nominate a Literacy Champion! This year we will have open nominations as well as self-nominations! Open nominations will require responses from both the nominator and the teacher being nominated.
Questions or trouble with the forms? Contact Angy Shearer.
Winners
2021
Haley Carolin, Keeling Elementary
Kristen Kvaran, Tanque Verde Community Preschool
2020
Brittany DeFazio, Anza Trail School
Jennifer Connolly – Gale Elementary School
Congratulations 2021 Winners!
Haley Carolin, 3rd Grade at Keeling Elementary
Haley Carolin is a 3rd-grade teacher at Keeling Elementary. Born and raised in Mesa, she later moved to Tucson in the 9th grade, and she remained in Tucson to study Education at the University of Arizona. In 2014, she graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors, and she began teaching professionally at Keeling Elementary soon after.
Haley loves helping students discover their own interests to develop intrinsic motivation. She has been teaching for nearly 7 years, and in that time she has instructed both 2nd and 3rd graders. Her passions include traveling the world, baking, and teaching the wonderful students at Keeling Elementary!
Kristen Kvaran, Tanque Verde Community Preschool
Kristen Kvaran is currently the Director of Tanque Verde Community Preschool in the Tanque Verde Unified School District. She opened the preschool in August 2019 after completing a study tour of the infant/toddler and preschool programs in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Kristen has an M. Ed in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from NAU, as well as experience and certification in special education, and she has taught preschool through third grade since 2005. She is a proud member of SAZAEYC, NAREA, and Tucson Children’s Project. Kristen is committed to bringing joyful, relationship-centered early childhood opportunities to Southern Arizona, and she is thrilled with the chance to spotlight the amazing work of her preschool team and engage others in serious conversations about emergent literacy.
