Recently, Charles Margery Barancik Foundation recognized five Sarasota County teachers for going above and beyond in their profession.
Barancik Foundation named five Ripple Effect Teacher Awards winners in partnership with Sarasota County Schools in memory of Margery Barancik. The semi-annual prize acknowledges five outstanding teachers on Chuck’s birthday in May and five on Margie’s birthday in September. Each teacher recognized for their positive impact on their students’ lives is awarded $5,000 to spend on professional development experiences, material, and equipment for their classrooms.
Margie’s fall awardees are:
- Amy Baldwin, Gocio Elementary
- Xiomara Dearing, Ashton Elementary
- Dr. Carmen Larson, Sarasota Middle School
- Katie Leworthy, Atwater Elementary
- Jamie Davidson, Woodland Middle School
A surprise to the teachers, each winner was recognized by the superintendent, their principal, and members of the School District during a special ceremony at their schools. The recipients were commended for their innovative efforts in building positive cultural changes at their schools—among their students and peers. All were recognized for the lasting impact they have on their students.
“Students recognize the impact of their teachers every day – they live it with these wonderful educators nearly every day – but this is our way honoring the heroes in our midst in way that makes their lives better, too,” says Teri A Hansen, President|CEO of Barancik Foundation.
Launched in 2021, the award was inspired by the late Barancik couple’s philosophy on their charitable giving, often noting, “We can’t change the world, but we can change little pieces of it and hope for a ripple effect.”
Facilitated by the School District, each Sarasota County principal nominated one teacher to be considered for the award. A committee made up of community leaders then identified the top candidates.
“Our teachers make a tremendous impact on the lives of their students and families,” said Dr. Brennan Asplen, Superintendent of Sarasota County Schools. “These latest Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation Ripple Effect awardees exemplify the compassion, perseverance, and high-quality educational best practices that enable our students to achieve great things, both now and rippling ahead into the future.”
Previous winners have used the funds for classroom improvement projects, professional development workshops across the country, and items like musical equipment and state-of-the-art robots to help pique students’ interest in the classroom. Barancik Foundation has made an ongoing commitment to award the 10 $5,000 teacher grants each year.
