IEA Awards
Every year, members of the IEA recognize their colleagues for their outstanding efforts and successes on behalf of Idaho’s children.
The work that many of our members do as teachers and education support professionals goes above and beyond their job descriptions.
Congratulations to the 2024 IEA Award Winners
Click on each awardee to read more about their story.
Trent Van Leuven
Marsha Nakamura Award for Teaching Excellence
Jennifer Luu
Membership Recruiter Award
Gena Marker
Larry Caldwell Member Advocacy Award
Crystal Villanueva
Sam Cikaitoga Service Award
Governor Brad Little
Champion of Education Award
The Coeur Group and Lola Hagadone
Friend of Education Award
LiseAnn Mills
Edythe Crowe Award
Alicia Purdy
Shane Anderson Outstanding Member Award
Mary Lee Ruch
Monica Beaudoin Retired Award
What Is Each Award and Why is it Important?
We have created several awards to better recognize their diverse and exemplary contributions.
Click on the award names below to learn more
Betty Roper Public Relations Award
The award shall go to a local or region that has made a special and unique contribution to the cause of furthering communications and public relations internally and/or externally over an extended period of time and particularly in the last year. Items for consideration may include newsletter, presentations, press releases, or social media activity.
Read more about the Betty Roper Public Relations Award, including guidelines and online nomination form.
Champion of Education Award (New)
This award will go to a person or persons who have made a special and unique contribution to the cause of education over an extended period of time and particularly in the last year within the purview of their job.
Read more about the Champion of Education Award, including guidelines and online nomination form.
Edythe Crowe Education Support Professional Award
The winner is an ESP member who has made a special and unique contribution to the cause of education over an extended period of time and particularly in the last year. IEA’s Edythe Crow honoree is IEA’s nominee for the NEA Education Support Professional of the Year Award which recognizes the contributions of ESP to their schools, communities, and their profession. Please use the Application instructions PDF as a guideline to follow when submitting applications for this year.
Read more about the Edythe Crowe Education Support Professional Award, including guidelines and online nomination form.
Friend of Education Award
The award shall go to a person or persons who have made a special and unique contribution to the cause of education over an extended period of time and particularly in the last year.
Read more about the Friend of Education Award, including guidelines and online nomination form.
Larry Caldwell Member Advocacy Award
The award will be given annually to an IEA member who has confronted extraordinary challenges in assuring their students, their school, their colleagues, or their profession, have been treated fairly and justly.
Read more about the Larry Caldwell Advocacy Award, including guidelines and online nomination form.
Marsha Nakamura Award for Teaching Excellence
This award goes to a certified member who recognizes, rewards, and promotes excellence in teaching and advocacy for the profession. IEA’s Nakamura honoree is IEA’s nomination for the NEA Award for Teaching Excellence. The awardee will be IEA’s guest at the NEA Foundation Banquet in February. To apply, please fill out and print the NEA’s Teacher of the Year award application from the NEA Foundation website, and send the completed form to IEA like all other awards. We will submit the Nakamura Award winner to NEA as our nominee.
Read more about the Nakamura and Teaching Excellence Award, including guidelines and online nomination form.
Membership Recruiter Award
The Membership Recruiter award is presented to a member annually who has exhibited leadership skills in the area of membership recruitment and retention. The recipient of this award is selected on the basis of sustained efforts in the area of membership recruitment and retention.
Read more about the Membership Recruiter Award, including guidelines and online nomination form.
Monica Beaudoin Retired Award
Monica Beaudoin was an advocate for students, teachers, ESPs, and public education.
While a teacher in the Lake Pend Oreille school district she successfully ran for the
Idaho House of Representatives, serving two terms. She gave up her seat in the
legislature when she was elected as IEA President, serving four years. Monica
championed many causes and projects as an IEA member and was instrumental in
launching the IEA Children’s Fund. After her term as IEA President and after retirement,
Monica remained very active in the Association. She served on both the IEA and NEA
Board of Directors for many years as a retired representative and was active in the
North Idaho Education Association Retired Chapter. Monica spent her entire career
advocating for children and public education, and her contributions will long be
remembered.
The Monica Beaudoin Award is created to honor an IEA retired educator who has
continued to be active in retirement and made significant contributions to the IEA
Retired Organization.
Read more about the Monica Beaudoin Award, including guidelines and an online nomination form.
Sam Cikaitoga Service Award
This award recognizes and rewards a person who, like Sam, understands and celebrates the ways we are all alike downplays our differences. The award shall be to a person or persons who have made a special and unique contribution to the cause of public education over an extended period of time and particularly in the last year.
Read more about the Sam Cikaitoga Minority Service Award, including guidelines and online nomination form.
Shane Anderson Outstanding Member Award
This award was created to honor IEA members who share Shane’s commitment to and passion for public education and the work of the Idaho Education Association and shall be awarded to a current and active member for outstanding and dedicated service to their local and state education associations.
Read more about the Shane Anderson Award, including guidelines and online nomination form.
Sue Hovey Mentoring Award
The award will be given annually to a current IEA member who has formally or informally mentored new or struggling colleague(s).
Read more about the Sue Hovey Mentoring Award, including guidelines and online nomination form.
Teacher Trainee Award
This award goes to one elementary education major and/or one secondary education major who is currently enrolled in a teacher training program.
Read more about the Teacher Trainee Award, including guidelines and online nomination form.