OnPoint’s Announces 2024 Prizes for Excellence in Education

Posted by Alyse Knudsen on June 17, 2024

OnPoint Community Credit Union, which serves members in Oregon and Southwest Washington, announced on May 24 the four winners of the 2024 OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education Educator of the Year awards.

The four Educators of the Year will have their mortgage or rent paid for one year and receive $2,500 for each of their schools. In addition, the four runners-up will receive $5,000 for themselves and $1,500 for each of their schools. 

“Our Educators of the Year Awards recognize the remarkable educators whose dedication impacts their students and community every day,” said Rob Stuart, President and CEO of OnPoint Community Credit Union. “This year’s winners and runners-up use their amazing creativity and innovation to inspire students. As we celebrate the 15th year of these awards, we are honored to recognize and support the educators who go above and beyond to teach and lead our youth.” 

The 2024 Educator of the Year winners are: 

• K-5 Educator of the Year: Rachel Hertz, 1st grade teacher at North Star Elementary School in Bend, Ore. 
• 6-8 Educator of the Year: Sherry Reeder, 6th-8th grade special education teacher at Molalla River Middle School in Molalla, Ore. 
• 9-12 Educator of the Year: Michelle Colbert, 9th-12th grade art and career technical education teacher at Fir Ridge Campus in Portland, Ore. 
• Gold Star Educator of the Year: Traniece Brown-Warrens, principal at Markham Elementary School in Portland, Ore. 

The 2024 Educator of the Year runners-up are: 

• K–5 Educator of the Year Runner-up: Roxana Campbell, 1st grade teacher at HOLLA School in Portland, Ore.
• 6–8 Educator of the Year Runner-up: Lynda Beauchamp, 6th and 7th grade math teacher at Realms Middle School in Bend, Ore.
• 9-12 Educator of the Year Runner-up: Andrew Gunsul, 9th and 10th grade social studies teacher at Sunset High School in Portland, Ore.
• Gold Star Educator of the Year Runner-up: Martine Barnett, principal at Columbia City Elementary in Columbia City, Ore.

The OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education has awarded more than $843,000 in prizes to 326 local educators and schools since 2010. The 2024 campaign will award an additional $193,000 to deserving public and private K-12 educators and schools. 

To learn more about the Educator of the Year award winners, click HERE. 

Five Schools Receive Community Builder Awards  

The 2024 OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education also awarded one Oregon school $5,000 and four Oregon schools $2,000 in Community Builder grants for special projects that enrich their communities. 

Adams Elementary School in Eugene, Ore., received the $5,000 Community Builder Award for its Creative Collaboration Mural Project. Adams Elementary is a Title I school housed in one of the oldest school buildings in the Eugene district. The 1949 building continues to give students an adequate location to learn and grow, but it is greatly lacking expression of the culture and community. The Adams Elementary School Mural Project will not only beautify an external wall of the aged neighborhood school but give students a chance to express themselves through a large public art piece for the community to share. The wall that has been selected for the project is outward facing, along the school parking lot and sports fields, so the artwork will be enjoyed by everyone coming to and from the school and athletic practices, in addition to neighbors passing along the neighborhood streets. 

Winners of the $2,000 grants include Marysville Elementary in Portland, Bear Creek Elementary in Bend, Ore., Molalla Elementary in Molalla, Ore., and St. Andrew Nativity School in Portland. Click HERE to read more about this year’s winners. 

Posted in Oregon, Regional Member News.