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FACTS Teacher Innovation Award Winners 2023

FACTS teacher innovation awards

The FACTS Teacher Innovation Awards was created to recognize exceptional educators creating lasting educational impact through grassroots innovation in their schools. We want to shine a light on the creative teachers making a difference through bold initiatives, commitment to their students, and support of FACTS’ mission to make educational dreams possible through service and technology.

2023-2024 Winners

Patricia Berg

Patricia Berg

Hasten Hebrew Academy (Indiana)

WINNING SUBMISSION:

Remembering the Holocaust: An Interactive Educational Experience

Tricia Berg is a sixth-grade humanities teacher and the K-8 librarian at Hasten Hebrew Academy. She has been an educator for 15 years. Her passions include history, literature, and educational technology. As a teacher who is not Jewish, working in a Jewish school has been an eye-opening experience. She has discovered a new-found passion for Holocaust education and has seen the need for teaching about this dark time in our history as its themes continue to be prominent in our current cultural climate.

View Patricia's Submission

Ryan Howard

Ryan Howard

Xaverian Brothers High School (Westwood, Massachusetts)

WINNING SUBMISSION:

Makerspace for All

Ryan is a talented and passionate educator with over 20 years of experience driving innovation and engagement in the classroom, science lab, and makerspace. He’s presently the Director of the X-Ploration Center at Xaverian Brothers High School, having previously served as a science teacher and science department chairperson. Now his role is to help students bring their ideas to life in tangible ways, journeying with them through the process to foster learning, growth, creativity, and the attainment of real-world skills.

View Ryan's Submission

Emma Milner Gorvine

Emma Milner-Gorvine

Roycemore School (Evanston, Illinois)

WINNING SUBMISSION:

Finding Voice and Power Through Podcasts: Discovering Hispanic Cultures and Developing Life Skills Using Podcast Creation

Emma recently graduated from Earlham College with a Bachelor’s in Spanish and Hispanic Studies with minors in Jewish Studies, Educational Pedagogy, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, and certification in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. The cornerstone of her educational philosophy and pedagogy is social justice. By implementing progressive and holistic practices that first and foremost emphasizes her students’ humanity, students feel empowered in the classroom.

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Meghan Rakus

Meghan Rakus

St. Mary Parochial School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

WINNING SUBMISSION:

Egg Hatching: Bringing Innovation to Life

Meghan is a Holy Family University graduate with a Master’s in Special Education. She is a first-grade teacher at St. Mary Interparochial School. A large part of her teaching philosophy involves social/emotional intelligence using mindfulness as a key tool to aid in development. Meghan’s classes have learned these skills through the practices of writing apology notes, reflecting, and discussing conflicts with their peers.

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Leia Reed

Leia Reed

Village Christian (Sun Valley, California)

WINNING SUBMISSION:

The Deep Sea Tournament

Leia serves as the 3D art and ceramics teacher and Art Department chair at Village Christian. She is a Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) rebel with a BFA in painting, bringing a burst of color and a dash of spice to the world of education. Leia creates a safe and adaptable classroom where students can freely explore their creativity. It is her mission to dismantle the notion that someone is “not artistic.” Her classroom is filled with exceptional artworks from students who initially doubted their creative abilities.

View Leia's Submission