R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence

Andrew Abril | Douglas S. Freeman High School (HE) $10,000
To expedition through the South of France exploring the value of memory and the importance of personal essay writing in school and in life.

Kionna Bobbitt | Highland Springs Elementary School (HE) $15,000
To deepen knowledge and leadership skills that promote equitable and inclusive school environments by learning how empathy, trust, and bias influence leadership.

Elizabeth Broda | Henrico High School (HE) $13,700
To be immersed in natural spaces and shadow nonprofit organizations on the Hawaiian Islands to learn how cultural practices rooted in Native Hawaiian principles of empowerment and belonging build a strong community.

Sheri Castle | Atlee High School (HA) $15,000
To explore historically significant cities in Europe and the United States to study themes of human suffering, war, famine, loss, and persecution to cultivate a culture of empathy through book clubs and literacy instruction.

Erin Cobb | Patrick Henry High School (HA) $10,800
To study Civil rights, Civil liberties, and the Federal Bureaucracy in the state of California by visiting museums and major landmarks and touring national parks.

Ryan Conway | Glen Allen High School (HE) $14,900
To travel to Japan, South Korea, and Singapore to investigate teacher preparatory programs and innovative pedagogical strategies that effectively teach Gen Alpha students.

Sarah Ehret | Monacan High School (CH) $11,200
To follow in the footsteps of her grandfather, Edward Shames (Easy Company, now globally known as "Band of Brothers"), on the path that he took through Normandy, Belgium, and Holland in the quest to liberate Europe during World War II.

Kristine Hoben | Liberty Middle School (HA) $12,300
To foster enthusiasm for mathematics and its connection to geography, history, and technology by exploring landscapes of Ireland, England, France, and Italy while bridging the gap between abstract mathematical concepts and real-world applications.

Colleen Irby | Chesterfield Career and Technical Center (CH) $15,000
To work directly with scientists to gain hands-on, field-based research experience, learn cutting-edge science teaching methods, and study fragile ecosystems affected by climate change and wildlife conservation techniques.

Emily Layne | Battlefield Park Elementary School (HA) $15,000
To travel the East Coast and explore the 13 colonies and beyond to gain a better understanding of the historical events and figures that developed our country and share these first-hand experiences with students.

Yvette Lee | J. R. Tucker High School (HE) $15,000
To enhance content knowledge through design thinking & web development courses, as well as visit England to explore play-based learning in computing and Tanzania to learn ICT training initiatives for empowering young females.

NaKita Lee | Maggie L. Walker Governor's School (RI) $10,300
To visit Ghana and Alabama to rekindle cultural roots, to discover and compare diasporic connections in the struggle for freedom and independence, and to share global perspectives in the classroom and school community.

Rebecca Lynch | Manchester High School (CH) $13,100
To travel in the footsteps of British authors and their characters by exploring real and fictional settings in Scotland and England, and to attend writing workshops to advance writing in these same environments.

Jacquelyn Minter | The Hanover Center for Trades and Technology (HA) $10,200
To visit Disney World and take a Disney Cruise to learn about their behind-the-scenes makeup and cosmetology industry and how they use cosmetology to create characters and special effects.

Jordan Patterson | Chickahominy Middle School (HA) $10,000
To visit diverse classrooms across the United States and observe leading educators teaching in different cultural and socioeconomic contexts, culminating in recorded interviews and rehearsals to share with colleagues and students.

Lisa Perkinson | Dogwood Middle School (RI) $11,000
To explore historical sites in Italy and Greece and share these experiences with students and staff through original choreographic projects and arts integrated lessons.

Karen Smith | Monacan High School (CH) $14,300
To study components of the Arts in European cities, exploring the differences, similarities, and roots of various cultures to share with students of all languages and backgrounds.

Kendra Thomas | Hungary Creek Middle School (HE) $10,300
To take courses on morphology and writing instruction and to visit schools in the Northeastern U.S. that have established programs to support and teach students with dyslexia throughout their secondary and postsecondary academic careers.