NTHF SALUTES THE NEA EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
Each year, through a rigorous nomination process, the National Education Association selects the ESP of the Year to serve as an ambassador and to share stories about education support professionals throughout the country.
2017 marks the inaugural year for The National Teachers Hall of Fame to honor the NEA ESP of the Year with a plaque at the announcement ceremony and a year-long display in the NTHF Museum in Emporia Kansas. Each year, the five inductees into the Hall of Fame will host the ESP of the Year in Washington DC and Emporia, Kansas, for induction ceremonies.
Education Support Professionals work hand-in-hand with teachers and administrators to make sure that every child is engaged, inspired, encouraged, and motivated by caring adults in our nation’s schools. The first educators to see a child each day is often the school bus driver or the cafeteria workers or the attendance clerk… each making sure that day starts right so that learning can occur.
1992 Peggy Bertollo, Delaware
1993 Doris Dortch, Alabama
1994 Eddie Middleton, Louisiana
1995 Iona Hollway, Louisiana
1996 Evelyn Foster, North Carolina
1997 Karen Mahurin, Alaska
1998 Carter Foshee, Oklahoma
1999 Gail Rasmussen, Oregon
2000 Richard Malizia, New Jersey
2001 Irma Valdesino, New Mexico
2002 Joann Falk, Colorado
2003 Martin F. Meyer, Idaho
2004 Allyson “Sunny” Story, Iowa
2005 Kathleen Lange, Illinois
2006 Nancy Toombs, Kentucky
2007 Veronica Henderson, Maryland
2008 Laura Vernon, Wisconsin
2009 Kathie Axtell, Washington
2010 Helen Cottongim, Kentucky
2011 Jameel Williams, North Carolina
2012 Judy Near, Colorado
2013 Donna Schulze, Maryland
2014 Paula Monroe, California
2015 Janet Eberhardt, California
2016 Doreen McGuire-Grigg, California
2017 Saul Ramos, Massachusetts
2018 Sherry Shaw, Alaska