Ashli Skura Dreher

youngstown, NY | YEARS TAUGHT: 1996 - Present

Ashli’s classroom reflects her philosophy that every child will be welcomed with open arms and that his or her potential would never be underestimated. Dreher feels that the role of the teacher was not a role she chose; it was one that chose her.
ADDITIONAL RECOGNITION:
  • 2016      New York Governor’s Empire State Excellence in Teaching Award
  • 2016      Fund for Teachers Fellow
  • 2015      NEA Global Learning Fellow
  • 2014      New York State Teacher of the Year
  • 2014      Am-Pol Eagle Newspaper Citizen of the Year
  • 2006      New York State Rehabilitation Award
  • 2002      National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification

Jonathan Gillentine

Honolulu, HI | YEARS TAUGHT: 1978 - PRESENT

Jonathan believes that the acts of teaching and learning are founded on significant, long-term personal relationships between teachers and students. Over time, this connection strengthens into a bond with each child and their parents. Gillentine holds the conviction that failure is inherently part of the learning process. He teaches students resiliency, and learning involves finding many possible solutions, trying them, and then selecting the best one. He encourages trying again and again and never giving up.
ADDITIONAL RECOGNITION:
  • 2014      Hope Street Group Hawaii State Teacher Fellow
  • 2012      National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification
  • 2012      NEA Foundation Horace Mann Award/ Global Learning Fellow
  • 2012      America Achieves National Teacher Fellow
  • 2010      NSTA  Early Science Educator Award
  • 2007      NAECTE Outstanding Early Childhood Practitioner
  • 2003      National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification

Matinga Ragatz

Grand Ledge, MI  | Years Taught: 1989 - Present

Matinga believes that teaching is a unique enterprise that requires practitioners to create learning environments that allow young people to practice and role-play the many different dimensions of life.  Ragatz is “proud to have job-crafted the timeless profession of teaching into an unforgettable life adventure, full of intense experiences and learning opportunities, as well as chances to re-invent, re-design, and to ‘Macgyver’ learning resources to achieve the best learning environment and outcomes possible.”
ADDITIONAL RECOGNITION:
  • 2011      Michigan State Teacher of the Year
  • 2010      Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning Outstanding Educator Award
  • 2008      Microsoft Partners in Learning Innovative Teacher Award
  • 2008      Microsoft Worldwide Innovative Teacher Forum US Representative, 
    ​                   Hong Kong, China

Joseph D. Ruhl

Lafayette, IN | Years Taught: 1978 - Present

Joseph’s classroom features hands-on, minds-on learning with a fleet of computers to help individualize instruction and offer a vast array of activities on the ‘smorgasbord menu’ that allows for student choices. Ruhl believes that, “Teaching is one of the most important jobs in the world. It’s also one of the most difficult, but teaching is a profession that will bring authentic joy and satisfaction.”
ADDITIONAL RECOGNITION:
  • 2015      Robert E. Yager Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award  [NSTA]
  • 2012      Shell National Science Teaching Award
  • 2012      Extraordinary Boilermaker Award (Purdue University President)
  • 2007      Best Buy Teaching Award
  • 1989      Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching

Bob Williams

Palmer, AK | Years Taught: 1987 - 2017

Bob believes that all students who walk through his classroom door must feel respected, valued, welcomed, and safe so that they can learn, thrive, and flourish. Williams motivates and inspires students through class mathematical cheers. Collaborative school-wide math assemblies, and the personal encouragement of each student with comments like, “I love your work ethic. I believe in you.”
ADDITIONAL RECOGNITION:
  • 2011      National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification
  • 2010      NEA Foundation Horace Mann Award for Excellence in Teaching
  • 2009      NSF Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching
  • 2009      Alaska State Teacher of the Year
  • 2008      Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District Teacher of the Year
  • 2008      Colony High School Teacher of the Year