Johnston educator is runner-up for Excellence in Education Award

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L to R: Jennifer Emblen, Tammy Wawro, ISEA President

DES MOINES, IA (12/03/2014)(readMedia)-- Jennifer Emblen, a fifth grade teacher at Beaver Creek Elementary in Johnston, is a 2014 Excellence in Education Award runner-up. The award is sponsored by the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA). Emblen was chosen among a top field of over 60 educators-all nominated by colleagues, students, parents, and community members-because of the difference they make every day in the lives of Iowa's students.

"This award is truly about recognizing the educators who work hard on a daily basis and rarely get the recognition they so richly deserve," said Tammy Wawro, President of the ISEA. The nominations we receive are a testament to the dedication and compassion Iowa educators have for their students and the communities in which they live. Clearly, our educators go above and beyond to help shape the lives of the students they teach."

A beloved teacher that parents and students request every year at Beaver Creek Elementary, Emblen doesn't take her responsibilities to her students lightly. She ensures that each student who walks into her classroom knows they are a valued individual and will find success. She is one of the strongest advocates for the lowest performing students, working hard to ensure their curricular and social success. Saying that every child has something to offer and it is her responsibility to help them find what it is, Emblen advocates and supports all her students.

"It's clear that Jenny's creativity, passion, and work all combine to make a tremendous impact in her classroom and beyond and we applaud her achievement," said Wawro. The Excellence in Education Award celebrates educators like Jenny who are invested in the lives of their students and go beyond what is expected to make an exceptional experience for them."

Now in its 15th year, the Excellence in Education Award honors educators around the state who make a difference in the classroom. Nominations are solicited beginning in September through October.

Emblen received a $100 gift from the ISEA at an awards banquet on Thursday, November 20, at the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines.

The winner of the 2014 Excellence in Education Award is Karlys Gries, a teacher at Whittier Elementary in Sioux City. Gries received $1,000 courtesy of the ISEA. Other runners-up also honored include Kurt Gaylor, a teacher at Monona Elementary in Monona; John Hunsaker, an English teacher at Mediapolis High School in Mediapolis; and Terri Guenther-Mayer, an Agriculture teacher at South Tama High in Tama. All runners-up received $100 courtesy of the ISEA.

The ISEA is a professional organization made up of more than 34,000 educators who are dedicated to supporting and protecting a quality education for all Iowa students.

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