(left to right) Winner Kandi Dawson, Murray Elementary School third-grade, accepts her trophy from WKCTC President Anton Reed.
Dawson Encourages students to Achieve their Dreams:
Wins One of the Top Awards at the Sixth Annual Regional Educators
Awards and Scholarship Program.
Murray Elementary School third-grade teacher Kandi Dawson wasn’t expecting to give a speech, but she jumped right in when she was named a winner in the Sixth Annual Regional Educators Awards and Scholarship Program (REASP) at West Kentucky Community and Technical College.
“I've had this job for 30 years. It’s something I’ve had on my heart for longer than that, and I try to convey that to my students every day. They have the power to make their dreams come true if they try hard enough, no matter what their circumstances are at home, they can overcome them, and they can achieve their dreams.
Dawson was one of 40 faculty in the Distinguished Faculty (Prekindergarten through 5th grades) category who were nominated and completed the application process. More than 400 fellow educators, family, friends and students were on hand to cheer for and recognize the 2023 REASP nominees in WKCTC's Clemens Fine Arts Center on March 30. Faculty, administrators and staff from throughout the Jackson Purchase and southern Illinois area were nominated for awards in five categories: distinguished faculty for grades pre-kindergarten through fifth, distinguished faculty for grades sixth through 12th, distinguished administrators, and the Cornelia Reece Unsung Hero Support Staff and Administrative Staff Awards, named for the wife of WKCTC President Anton Reece.
The awards and scholarship program was established in August 2017 by Dr. Reece to recognize pre-kindergarten through high school educators, administrators and staff members who work tirelessly each day on behalf of students, parents and the community in WKCTC's service region, which includes Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Marshall, McCracken, Livingston and Lyon counties in Kentucky and Alexander, Hardin, Massac, Pope and Pulaski counties in Illinois.
More than 220 faculty, staff, and administrators received 279 nominations from students, parents, community members and fellow colleagues. Each nominee was then asked to submit an application. More than 125 applications were submitted and reviewed by a selection committee made up of educators and business and community leaders who selected two finalists and a winner in each of the four categories.
Other individuals from Murray Independent Schools received nominations. They were: Sarah Hultman, Murray High School MHS Math teacher; Beth Stribling, Murray Independent School District MMS band director; Natalie Wilson, Murray Middle School Special education teacher; and Timothy Zeiss, Murray Independent School District band director
For more information about sponsorship and scholarship opportunities at WKCTC, contact Kyle at 270-534-3084 or kyle.fisher@kctcs.edu. The program was streamed and the video can be viewed at https://fb.watch/jCO6A22GV9/