97 Salem And Keizer Educators Nominated For the 2024 Crystal Apple Awards!

Schedule

Presented by the McLaran Leadership Foundation and the Salem-Area Chamber of Commerce, the 2024 awards are on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at the Salem Convention Center.

We are ready to celebrate our amazing staff! Here is the schedule of the Red Carpet walk-in times:

• 5:30 - 5:45: Battle Creek Elementary - Cummings Elementary
• 5:45 - 6:00: Curious Cats Preschool - Judson Middle School
• 6:00 - 6:15: Keizer Elementary - Myers Elementary
• 6:15 - 6:30: North Salem High School - South Salem High School
• 6:30 - 6:45: Sprague High School - Waldo Middle School
• 6:45 - 7:00: Walker Middle School - Yoshikai Elementary

Watch the Crystal Apple Awards Live

If you're not able to attend the Crystal Apple Awards in person, you can watch live online on CC:Media's website from 5:30–9 p.m., or on TV on Comcast cable channels 22 & 322.

Go To A Recording Of The Crystal Apple Awards 2024

Viewing Party Tickets

We are so excited to announce that another room is opening at the Salem Convention Center for a Crystal Apple Awards viewing party!

Tickets are $20 and are now on sale through Monday, May 20 at 5 p.m. or until sold out.  The room will have a live stream of the awards upstairs, light hors d'oeuvres, beverage options for purchase and good vibes!

This is the perfect place for extended families and friends to watch the event as well as schools and departments to gather together to cheer on their colleagues. Those joining for the event are encouraged to dress up or rock their school gear, whatever you feel most comfortable in!

We Are Ready To Celebrate!

The communities of Salem and Keizer are ready to celebrate and honor the work of 97 area educators as the 25th Annual Crystal Apple Awards return to recognize excellence in education.

Presented by the McLaran Leadership Foundation and the Salem-Area Chamber of Commerce, the 2024 awards will be held on May 22, 2024 at the Salem Convention Center.

The Salem Chamber is honored to host the 25th Annual Crystal Apple Awards, recognizing excellence in public and private education across the communities of Salem and Keizer. To be nominated for a prestigious Crystal Apple award is a remarkable achievement, so you can imagine our excitement as nearly 100 nominations were received this year. Attendees will enjoy a tremendously entertaining event celebrating the individuals who make prolific results occur in local education.

Tom Hoffert
Salem-Area Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer

Nominee List

A full list of nominees is now available below.

• Gabriela Acevedo-Solis, Teacher, Waldo Middle School
• Emilie Andersson, Teacher, Cummings Elementary
• Darlene Andrus, Administrative Secretary, Human Resources
• Kelsey Baller, Teacher, Chapman Hill Elementary
• Jessica Bell, Counselor, Highland Elementary
• Korie Bellinger, Senior Clerical Specialist, Leslie Middle School
• Heather Bennett, Special Education Teacher, Walker Middle School
• Damian Berdakin, Teacher, South Salem High School
• Sonia Bosquez, Community School Outreach Coordinator, Waldo Middle School
• Leah Brakebill, Speech Language Pathologist, South Salem High School
• Tammy Bromley, Special Education Teacher, Lee Elementary
• Mackenzie Brown, Counselor, Swegle Elementary
• Shayla Brown, Counselor, Blanchet Catholic School
• Cyndie Carter, Special Education Teacher, Grant Community School
• Abigail Caulder, Library Media Instructional Assistant, Hallman Elementary
• Juan Cervantes, Community Resource Specialist, Office of Student, Equity, Access, and Advancement
• Sandy Champagne, Teacher, Capital Christian School
• Rosette Chen, Teacher, North Salem High School
• Travis Chetock, Instructional Mentor, Walker Middle School
• Marie Davis-Anderson, Custodian, McNary High School
• Nicole De Blasi, Program Associate, Student Services
• Irma Decker, Teacher, Washington Elementary
• Nathan Dick, Special Education Teacher, Parrish Middle School
• Kenneth Ernst, Teacher, Hammond Elementary
• Jody Farley, Instructional Assistant, Chávez Elementary
• Robin Farnsworth, Teacher, Pringle Elementary
• Jessica Ferkel, School Office Specialist, Washington Elementary
• Chris Feskens, Teacher, McKay High School
• Melissa Garmon, Instructional Coach, St. Vincent de Paul Dual Language Immersion Catholic School
• Samantha Gibson, School Office Specialist, Community Outreach Coordinator, Wright Elementary
• Rita Glass, Administrative Assistant, Elementary English Language Acquisition
• Olivia Gonzalez-Martinez, Special Programs Instructional Assistant Bilingual, Myers Elementary
• Vonnie Good, Environmental Health Specialist, Safety and Risk Management Services
• Vel’Dene Gould, Teacher, Wright Elementary
• Amy Green, International Baccalaureate Coordinator, North Salem High School
• Annie Hatzenbihler, Special Education Teacher, Schirle Elementary
• Timothy Hauck, Counselor, Stephens Middle School
• Russell Heater, Custodian, Leslie Middle School
• Sarah Hedgepeth, Special Education Teacher, Sprague High School
• Julie Henry, Program Associate, Student Services
• Rubi Hovenden, Program Associate, Curriculum and Instruction
• Laura Huazo-Saavedra, Administrative Assistant, St. Vincent de Paul Dual Language Immersion Catholic School
• Allison Johann, Teacher, Judson Middle School
• Karna Johnson, Counselor, Grant Community School
• Lelania Ketola, Counselor, Pringle Elementary
• Emma Kubishta, Teacher, Battle Creek Elementary
• Betty Lackner, Instructional Support Assistant, Miller Elementary
• Brenda Lamb, Teacher, Roberts High School
• Donna Lewis, Special Education Teacher, Bush Elementary
• Danielle Luby, Teacher, Lee Elementary
• Elizabeth Mace, School Office Specialist, McNary High School
• Lorena Maciel Ochoa, Community School Outreach Coordinator, Office of Student Equity, Access, and Advancement
• Tricia Maddox, Special Programs Instructional Assistant Autism, Student Services
• Sarah Magnusson, Teacher, Gubser Elementary
• Tracy McLaughlin, Teacher, Bush Elementary
• Kellie Menghini, Teacher, McKay High School
• Keelana Meyer, Career and Technical Education Liaison, South Salem High School
• Taylor Miller, Teacher, Keizer Elementary
• Christina Nokes, Instructional Assistant, Walker Middle School
• Luis Oliva Barrientos, Special Programs Instructional Assistant Bilingual, Chávez Elementary
• Lisa Olson, Library Media Instructional Assistant, Chapman Hill Elementary
• Pat Ozenna-Lemay, Teacher, Cummings Elementary
• Vanessa Perales, School Office Specialist, Grant Community School
• JaNet Peterson, Teacher, Curious Cats Preschool
• Trang Pham, Instructional Assistant, Yoshikai Elementary
• Max Price, Teacher, South Salem High School
• Michelle Puckett, Special Education Teacher, Leslie Middle School
• Danielle Rabenberg, Teacher, Keizer Elementary
• Lisa Rael, Teacher, Sprague High School
• Ken Ramirez, Security Field Coordinator, Safety and Risk Management Services
• Claudia Rios, Community School Outreach Coordinator, McNary High School
• Shauntel Roberts, Special Education Teacher, Swegle Elementary
• Linda Rodgers, Teacher, Weddle Elementary
• Karen Rumrill, Teacher, Walker Middle School
• Stephanie Russell, Principal, Grant Community School
• Karen Schindler, Social Worker, Roberts Middle and High School
• Nikki Schmidgall, Special Education Teacher, Behavior Intervention Center
• Carolyn Schoening, Registered Nurse, McKay High School
• Cab Searcy, Teacher, Crossler Middle School
• Jessica Shumate, Special Education Teacher, Student Services
• Hilda Simpson, Teacher, Career and Technical Education Center
• Robin Sischo, Social Worker, South Salem High School
• Crystal Solis, Teacher, Four Corners Elementary
• Nichole Spearman-Eskelsen, CTE and Summer Programs Coordinator, Lancaster Professional Center
• Amanda Starkey, Teacher, North Salem High School
• Kaley Stauff, School Office Specialist, South Salem High School
• Gabriela Tellez Osorno, Teacher, McNary High School
• Rachael Tencza, Speech Language Pathologist, Wright Elementary
• Alicia Thomas, Instructional Mentor, Pringle Elementary
• Christine Thomas, Special Education Teacher, Crossler Middle School
• Mary Ulvin, Teacher, Morningside Elementary
• Cassie Villarreal, Instructional Support Assistant, McKinley Elementary
• Jodi Villasenor, Teacher, EDGE High School Program
• Kellie Ward, Behavior Specialist, Straub Middle School
• Kerri West, Special Education Teacher, Chapman Hill Elementary
• Ron Wilder, Microcomputer Support 2, Technology and Information Services
• Russ Williams, Teacher, Wright Elementary

Final Recipients Announcement

Final recipients of a 2024 Crystal Apple Award will be announced at the 25th annual event on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 from 7-9 p.m.

Ticket Information

Banquet room tickets went on sale at 8 a.m. on Monday, April 1, 2024, but have now sold out. Viewing party room tickets are now on sale for $20. See the top of this post for the link.