LITERACY CHAMPION AWARD
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Literacy Champion Award
8th Annual Literacy Champion Awards
A Literacy Champion is a local classroom educator who has gone above and beyond to improve early childhood education in our community. Now in its 8th year, the Literacy Champion Awards are presented to two educators teaching in preschool through 3rd grade.
Nominations will open Tuesday, August 15th and close Sunday, October 8th. This year we will once again have open nominations as well as self-nominations! Open nominations will require responses from both the nominator and the teacher being nominated.
Thank you to our 2023 Literacy Champion Sponsor:
Patrick Sniezek
Sign up to receive information on nominating a 2024 Literacy Champion:
A Literacy Champion is a local classroom educator who has gone above and beyond to improve early childhood education in our community. Now in its 8th year, the Literacy Champion Awards are presented to three educators teaching in preschool through 3rd grade. Sign up to receive communications about next years Literacy Champion and get ready to nominate your own!
Congratulations 2023 Winners!

Dalexa Iglesias, Santa Rosa Head Start Program
Dalexa Iglesias is an Education Specialist with Child Parent Centers and has been working with children and families for the past 13 years. Initially she pursued a career in Industrial engineering in college both in Mexico and the United States. Dalexa has always held a fierce passion for early childhood education and enrolled her oldest son into the Early Head Start program in Tucson where she would volunteer her time alongside the teachers. “I started to fall in love with teaching and I realized education was my profession and life’s passion. I started working at Child Parent Centers where I continue to have the opportunity to grow not only as an Early Childhood professional but also personally. After studying hard, I now hold a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education.

Heidi Kornacki, Twin Peaks K-8 Elementary School
Heidi Kornacki is a Tucson Native who has worked at Twin Peaks K-8 for her entire teaching career. She received a degree in Elementary Education at NAU before teaching kindergarten for the next 9 years where her love of teaching kids to read blossomed. Currently, she is a first grade teacher where she continues to cultivate a love of reading in all her students. “Watching young children come into my classroom has to be one of the most rewarding parts of my job. These young children come to school unable to identify letters and sounds; however, when these students leave my classroom they are confident readers. To see the growth of my students, watching the spark happen in these children when they start to read – I feel so much pride to have made a difference that will positively impact their future success and academics in life.”

Jennifer Campbell, Prince Elementary School
Jennifer Campbell is a Native Tucsonan who works as a Reading Specialist at Prince Elementary School. She grew up in the Amphi School District before pursuing a B.A. in communications at the University of Arizona. She worked for many years at her family business before pursuing an education degree at NAU where she found her true passion: teaching and advocating for Structured Literacy. She earned a Masters in Education with a Reading Endorsement and felt compelled to bring her expertise back to her childhood neighborhood and school. “I feel a calling to serve and support this community. Literacy is a civil right! Without it, access to all other civil rights is limited. Therefore, a focus on effective literacy instruction is of paramount importance because a student’s ability to read is one of the biggest indicators of future success.”
What are the Literacy Champion Awards?
Watch the Videos below to find out more!
English:
Spanish:
List of Winners
2023
- Dalexa Iglesias, Santa Rosa Head Start Program
Heidi Kornacki, Twin Peaks K-8 Elementary School - Jennifer Campbell, Prince Elementary School
2022
- Wendy Goodman, Cragin Elementary School
Christina Baker, Roadrunner Elementary School
2021
- Haley Carolin, Keeling Elementary
Kristen Kvaran, Tanque Verde Community Preschool
2020
- Brittany DeFazio, Anza Trail School
Jennifer Connolly – Gale Elementary School
2019
- Ben Collinsworth, Emily Meschter Learning Center
- Jennifer Lamoria, Roadrunner Elementary
2018
- Marcia Zatarain de Cortina, Sunnyside Head Start
- Mary Carroll, Roadrunner Elementary
2017
- Caroline Carson, TUSD Five Star Quality First Preschool Program
- Curtis Kiwak, TUSD Preschool Teacher
