Awards and Honors

In Oregon and Washington, our alumni have been recognized as distinguished teachers or as Teachers of the Year 13 times, and as distinguished school leaders or as Principals/Superintendents of the Year 15 times.

Alumni have also received wide national recognition for their work as educators, including five Milken Educator Awards and two Fulbright fellowships (see full list below).

Recent Award Winners

More Award Winners

1973

• Theresa Michaelson Sempert MAT. ’73:  Teacher of the Year (Tigard Education Association), 1987
• John Lewis MAT. ’73: Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators Principal of the Year, 1996

1974

• Tim Gillespie MAT. ’74: Oregon High School Teacher of Excellent (National Council of Teachers of Excellence), 2007
• Jim Jamieson BA ’70, MAT. ’74: Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, 1995; Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators Principal of the Year Award, 1994
• Bill Jones MAT. ’74: Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, 1995
• Carmen Rivadeneyra Swigart MAT. ’74: Cannon Beach City Council member, 1999-2003

1975

• Catherine Sergeant MAT. ’75: Oregon Librarian of the Year, 2014
• Emily Harnden MAT. ’75: Oregon Outstanding School Volunteer, 1986
• Coleen Hanson BA ’74, MAT. ’75: Oregon School Psychologist of the Year, 1998
• Tom Smythe MAT. ’75: Oregon Coach of the Year, 1988
• Jean Graham-Jones MAT. ’75: Fulbright Fellowship (Argentina), 1991

1976

• Adeline Becht M.Ed. ’76: Sertoma International Service to Mankind Award, 1977
• David Bates MAT. ’76: Outstanding Biology Teacher of the Year, 1990

1977

• Christie Ford M.Ed. ’77: Oregon Elementary Science Teacher of the Year, 1986

1979

• Pat Barnhart M.Ed. ’79: Nurse of the Year, Providence Medical Center, 1986
• Stephanie Wright Blakely MAT. ’79: Oregon Outstanding Vocational Special Needs Teacher of the Year, 1991

1980

• Larry R. Bentz MAT. ’80: Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, 1999

1981

• Ford Morishita BS ’77, MAT. ’82: Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching, 1994; Outstanding Biology Teacher Award, National Association of Biology Teachers, 1994; Oregon Academy of Science Outstanding Teaching Award, 1994; Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, 1997; Oregon Teacher of the Year, Council of Chief State School Officers, 1997
• William Jones MAT. ’81: Oregon Elementary School Principals Association National Distinguished Principal, 1994

1982

• Jerry Warren MAT. ’82: Washington State Assistant Principal of the Year, 2011

1984

• Chris Mills MAT. ’84: Oregon Middle School Principal of the Year, 2009

1987

• Nicki Hudson MAT. ’87: Oregon Teacher of the Year, 1998
• Maureen Daschel MAT. ’87: Oregon Teacher of the Year, 1998

1989

• Nikki Johnson MA ’89: Oregon Addiction Counselors Certification Board Award for Excellence, 1999
• Donna Dermond MAT. ’89: Christa McAuliffe Fellowship, U.S. Department of Education, 1990-1991

1991

• Suzanne Warren M.S. ’91: Oregon School Psychologist of the Year, 1996
• Barbara Murray MAT. ’91: Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, 1996; Oregon Teacher of the Year, 1995

1992

• Christine Hill MA ’92: Oregon Elementary School Counselor of the Year, 1996

1994

• Janice Packard MAT. ’94: Oregon Art Educator of the Year, 2011
• Arthur Anderson, Standard Superintendent Licensure ’94: Oregon Association of Central Office Administrators Achievement of Excellence Award, 2009
• Marsha Stipe, Basic Superintendent Licensure ’94: Oregon Association of Central Office Administrators Achievement of Excellence Award, 1995

1995

• Francoise Renaud BA ’88, MA ’95: Oregon Addiction Counselors Certification Board Award for Excellence, 1998

1996

• Michael Lindblad MAT. ’96, Oregon Teacher of the Year 2014

• Deborah Sommer, Standard Superintendent Licensure ’96: Oregon Association of School Executives Superintendent of the Year, 2006

1997

• Elena Garcia-Velasco MAT. ’97: Oregon Teacher of the Year, 2012
• Scott Maltman, Standard Superintendent Licensure ’97: National Association of Secondary School Principals Oregon Principal of the Year, 2007; Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators Principal of the Year, 2007

 1998

• Rita Ott Ramstad MAT. ’98: Oregon Book Award, 2003
• Carol Kemhus, Standard Superintendent Licensure ’98: Oregon Elementary School Principals Association National Distinguished Principal, 2003
• Linda Sundstrom MA ’98: Fulbright Grant, 2001

1999

• Jason Rodgers MAT. ’99: Crystal Apple Award, 2013  
• James Saxton, Standard Superintendent Licensure ’99: Oregon Principal of the Year, 2006
• Colleen Swihart MAT. ’99: Outstanding Biology Teacher of the Year, National Association of Biology Teachers, 2001

2000

• Kathleen Larson BA ’92, M.E. ’00: Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club Washington Teacher of the Year, 2013
• Maryalice Russell, Administrative Licensure ’00: Oregon Association of School Executives Superintendent of the Year, 2013
• Kenny Renner-Singer MAT. ’00: Washington Middle School Principal of the Year, 2013

2001

• Sara Johnson, Continuing Administrator Licensure ’01: Oregon Elementary School Principals Association National Distinguished Principal of the Year, 2007

2002

• Nancy Ferguson M.Ed. ’02: Oregon Elementary School Counselor of the Year, 2005
• Bruce Reynolds M.Ed. ’02: Oregon Elementary School Principals Association National Distinguished Principal, 2009

2003

• James Johnston, Continuing and Initial Administrator Licenses ’03, ’09: Oregon Middle School Principal of the Year, 2013
  

2004

• John Koch, Continuing Administrator License ’04: Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators Oregon Principal of the Year, 2008

2007

• Tess Miller MAT. ’07: Oregon’s American Star of Teaching, 2013

2009

• Kate Grieve Ed.S. ’09: New Hampshire’s School Psychologist of the Year, 2015

2010

• Laura Todis MAT. ’10: Agmen Award for Science Teaching Excellence and Fillmore Unified School District Teacher of the Year, 2013