By George Slaughter
From left to right: Matthew Ferraro, Katy Area Chamber of Commerce; Yvonne Kershner, Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union; Dr. Ken Gregorski, Katy Independent School District; Kyle Stanzel, Houston Methodist West Hospital, and Stephen Ives, YMCA of Greater Houston (Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union photo)
Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union is again joining local businesses to sponsor the Katy Independent School District “Teacher of the Year.”
The community is invited to attend the virtual celebration, which is set for 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday. To register, visit http://bit.ly/bvscutoy21.
At the gathering, local business and community leaders will honor outstanding teachers from each campus who have demonstrated excellence and leadership among their peers and in their classrooms. Winning recipients from all 73 Katy ISD campuses will be recognized during the event for their contributions, according to a news release.
Each campus winner will receive a gift bag, filled with numerous items donated by the local business community, and a $100 gift card.
Yvonne Kershner, Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union CEO, said the credit union’s top priority has been supporting educators in the local community.
“Presenting the Katy ISD Teacher of the Year event is just one of the many ways we give back to our partners in education,” Kershner said. “We welcome the opportunity to recognize and honor those who make a difference in the lives of our future community leaders.”
Dr. Ken Gregorski, Katy ISD superintendent, said the district’s teachers are a big part of the district’s success.
“Their commitment and dedication to our students, especially during the challenges of the past year, make us proud to have them on our team,” Gregorski said. “We are so appreciative of the credit union’s commitment to teachers and value their partnership with the district.”
Kyle Stanzel, vice president and chief operating officer at Houston Methodist West Hospital, said it has been inspiring to see the teachers’ strength and commitment to their students in a year that had unprecedented challenges.
“Thank you for continuing to dedicate your time, energy and skills to your students and ensuring they have the tools for future success,” Stanzel added.
Matthew Ferraro, Katy Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, thanked the credit union for its efforts in supporting teachers.
“We are proud to be a part of such an amazing program,” Ferraro said. “Teachers are truly the backbone of our community and we are thankful for their efforts day in and day out.”
Sponsors include:
- Summa Cum Laude: Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union and Houston Methodist West Hospital.
- Magna Cum Laude: YMCA of Greater Houston.
- Cum Laude: Katy Area Chamber of Commerce, Memorial Hermann Medical Group, and PBK, Inc.
- Honor Roll: Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union, Katy Times, Shell Federal Credit Union, and VLK Architects, Inc.
- Academi: City of Katy, Equitable Advisors, Nightlight Pediatric Urgent Care, United Clothing Donation Services, and the University of Houston.
- Spirit: Chick-fil-A Mason Road, Cinco Ranch & Katy Green and Nelda Wilson Brooks, M Ed., LPC.