Education Foundation of Martin County to host Teacher of the Year Awards Celebration
STUART, Fla. — Each year, the Education Foundation of Martin County honors the area’s top teachers with its annual Teacher of the Year Awards Celebration. Presented by Audi Stuart, Infiniti Stuart & Alfa Romeo Stuart, more than 750 people are expected to attend this year’s invitation-only event in November. The winning teachers in three categories — elementary, middle and high school — will be announced that evening. Of those three winners, one of them is named the top Teacher of the Year and will go on to represent Martin County in the state competition to become the Florida Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year.
In addition to the teacher awards, one school is selected as the Spirit Award Winner, sponsored by Live Hearty. The competition is usually stiff, as the schools’ staff utilize their creativity to produce themes that involve costumes, music and more, which is all part of the event fun. Additional award sponsors are Keiser University, Publix Super Markets Charities and MIDFLORIDA Credit Union.
There are 24 nominees this year, as follows:
Crista Johnson, Bessey Creek Elementary School
Wendy Duncan, Citrus Grove Elementary School
Joshua Perry, Crystal Lake Elementary School
John Fey, Dr. David L. Anderson Middle School
Jessica Kujawa, Felix A. Williams Elementary School
Christina Davis, Hidden Oaks Middle School
Krista Brown, Hobe Sound Elementary School
Katarina Brault, Hope Center for Autism
June Parrilli, Indiantown Middle School
Terrence Powell, J.D. Parker School of Science, Math & Tech
Jordan Hauck, Jensen Beach Elementary School
Mike Thurman, Jensen Beach High School
Susan Sawczak, Martin County High School
Michele Waddill, Murray Middle School
Monty Cancilla, Palm City Elementary School
Kasey Cadieux, Pinewood Elementary School
Brittany Queen, Port Salerno Elementary School
Renee Goebel, Riverbend Academy
Elissa Derby, SeaWind Elementary School
Kyle Gorton, South Fork High School
Leigh Townley, Stuart Middle School
Joy Kastanias, Treasure Coast Classical Academy
Gloria Quintero, Warfield Elementary School
Janine Mulberry, Willoughby Learning Center
The public is encouraged to participate by voting online at www.EducationFoundationMC.org and sharing how one of the nominees makes a positive difference at school or in the community.
Audi Stuart, Infiniti Stuart & Alfa Romeo Stuart, part of the Murgado Automotive Group, Inc., has been sponsoring the Martin County Teacher of the Year event for 10 years and is the presenting sponsor. Devin Carlson, its partner and general manager, said it has been an honor to provide ongoing support.
“Part of our mission is to give back to the community, which has allowed us our successes,” said Carlson, “We believe teachers are the architect of our future and we recognize the tireless dedication, unwavering passion, and countless hours the educators invest in nurturing and growing young minds. It is our hope, that through our sponsorship, we are making a meaningful impact on the lives of those who dedicate themselves selflessly in this noblest of professions.”
The Education Foundation of Martin County is the Martin County School District’s strategic non-profit partner with the mission of enriching and enhancing educational opportunities and support for students and teachers in Martin County’s public schools. As an independent group, the Foundation promotes this effort by raising and distributing private and corporate funds through several established programs, including classroom enrichment grants, mentoring programs, professional development for teachers, special initiatives, scholarships and programs to recognize outstanding teaching. For more information, please visit www.EducationFoundationMC.org.
# # #
September 20, 2023
It’s all about the scare at Fright Nights
Who: Fright Nights, the largest haunted house event in West Palm Beach, will celebrate 21 years of fear starting on October 6. For the fifth year in a row, the Haunted Attraction Association (H.A.A.) has named Fright Nights as one of the “Top Haunted Attractions” across the country. To be designated, attractions must be recognized as an H.A.A. member while also satisfying a list of 10 criteria related to the organization’s mission: to protect customers, promote haunted attractions, and educate industry experts. Only 57 events in America have earned this recognition this year.
What: Organizers of Fright Nights are inviting the public to come and celebrate its 21st era of terror! Starting its third decade, Fright Nights has been the scariest haunted event in South Florida featuring three haunts filled with creepy characters, scare zones, carnival rides, live entertainment and food. This year’s frights include four haunted houses, one more than last year: Dead of winter II, Jed’s Chop Shop, Cutting Edge and Hockley House. Read more about the haunts here: https://myfrightnights.com/current-haunts.
When: Fright Nights will open with a Behind the Scenes look on Thursday, Oct. 5 (reservations required; limited attendance-details follow. Show Dates: October 6, 7,12,13,14,19, 20, 21, 26 and 28 Hours are from 6 p.m.-11 p.m. on Thursdays; 6 p.m.-midnight on Friday and Saturday. The haunted houses open at 7 p.m. Please note that Fright Nights will be closed on October 27 due to a concert at iThink Amphitheatre, which is located on the fairgrounds.
Behind The Scenes: On October 5, get a glimpse of four haunts before Fright Nights opens to the public. Attendance is limited to 40 people per hour and the tour lasts 45 minutes. Cost is $30 per person. A tour will start at the top of the hour from 6 to 9 p.m. and includes a behind the scenes look at the four haunted houses. It’s also an opportunity to meet featured characters, ask questions, and take pictures. Each purchase of a Behind The Scenes tour will receive a free promotional ticket for Opening Night, October 6. The ticket covers one admission and one haunted house on opening night.
Where: South Florida Fairgrounds, 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach
Tickets: Online, advance tickets are available through midnight on October 5 for $35 at https://myfrightnights.com/frighttickets. After that, haunt tickets are $40 for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Skip the line with an RIP ticket and enter through the private RIP horror lounge with a cash bar and scare photo ops for $10 on Thursdays and $15 on Friday and Saturday. RIP tickets are limited and are sold only on the midway, not online.
Details: For more information, visit www.myfrightnights.com.
Media Contact: To cover the event or do an advance story, call or text Doreen Poreba, APR, The PR Czar® Inc., at 772-215-2333 or email her at prczar@comcast.net.
# # #
To see select, archived news releases, click here.