INDIANAPOLIS – November 11, 2019 – Simon Youth Foundation (SYF), a national nonprofit dedicated to helping students graduate, honored its 2019 Administrator of the Year and Teacher of the Year at an awards ceremony Saturday during its 2019 annual conference held in San Antonio, Texas.
SYF is dedicated to helping students on the verge of dropping out graduate high school. SYF partners with local public school districts to launch Simon Youth Academies, alternative classroom settings located primarily in Simon malls. The Academies offer one-on-one learning and a flexible classroom environment. Since its inception, SYF has helped nearly 20,000 students around the country graduate high school—35 percent of whom are the first in their family to graduate. In addition, SYF supports these students in their pursuit of post-secondary opportunities through its scholarship program.
Each year, SYF recognizes its educators for the impact they have made on their students, Academies and greater communities through its National Administrator and Teacher of the Year Awards.
The 2019 Administrator of the Year is Jill Graham, Director of Simon Youth Academy at Burlington in Burlington, Mass. Graham was nominated for the Administrator of the Year award by her peers for her deep commitment to providing the resources and opportunity for every student to earn a diploma regardless of their life circumstances. Her administrative duties at Simon Youth Academy at Burlington start after she has worked a full day as a science teacher at Burlington High School. Graham’s passion for teaching and learning make her an outstanding educator. She is a true champion for her students. Most of the young people that come to the Academy were previously at serious risk of dropping out of school. Graham has created a learning environment with a mix of high expectations and caring that allows students who struggle to succeed in a traditional environment to thrive. Her colleagues often aspire to bottle the positive culture and learning environment she has created at the Simon Youth Academy at Burlington and implement it in traditional classrooms.
Additional nominees for SYF’s 2019 Administrator of the Year include:
- Yvonne Dunn, Simon Youth Academy at John Marshall Alternative High School in Seattle, Wash.
- Jill Graham, Simon Youth Academy at Burlington in Burlington, Mass.
- Lesleigh Groce, Simon Youth Clark-Pleasant Academy in Whiteland, Ind.
- Angela Harding, Simon Youth Coast High School Academy in Huntington Beach, Calif.
- Cindy McGilvrey, Simon Youth Chester I. Lewis Academy, Wichita, Kan.
- Valerie Murawka, Simon Youth Academy at Martha Raines High School in Katy, Texas.
- Jason Schoettmer, Simon Youth Academy at Indiana Premium Outlets in Edinburgh, Ind.
- Julie Travis, Simon Youth Academy at Old Cockrill in Nashville, Tenn.
The 2019 Teacher of the Year is Betty Tran, math teacher at Simon Youth Coast High School Academy in Huntington Beach, Calif. Tran’s peers nominated her for the Teacher of the Year award for her work ethic, enthusiasm, energy, reliability, and love of math. She thrives on finding ways to motivate students who have a history of academic struggles and dislike coming to school. Many of the students who come to Simon Youth Coast High School Academy have struggled with math in the past, but with Tran’s guidance, they are able to be successful in the subject for the first time. She works tirelessly to make sure no students fall through the cracks. Tran’s colleagues admire her ability to incorporate the growth mindset philosophy into her classes. She sets up individual goal sessions and works one-on-one with students to ensure they succeed and earn their diplomas. Tran develops positive relationships with her students. They trust and follow her caring guidance; many students consider her a mentor long after they have graduated from the Academy.
Additional nominees for SYF’s 2019 Teacher of the Year include:
- Josie Archung, Simon Youth Academy at Old Cockrill in Nashville, Tenn.
- Ryan Cinninger, Simon Youth Academy at Circle Centre Mall in Indianapolis, Ind.
- Gerard Coughlin, Simon Youth Academy at Burlington in Burlington, Mass.
- Michelle Dotson, Simon Youth Academy at Prien Lake Mall in Lake Charles, La.
- Dianna Durousseau. Simon Youth Academy at Prien Lake Mall in Lake Charles, La.
- Sally Ann Gaffney, Simon Youth Academy at Baldwin in Baldwin, N.Y.
- Ron Hanson, Simon Youth Academy at Circle Centre Mall in Indianapolis, Ind.
- Scott Meyer, Simon Youth Academy at Port Charlotte in Port Charlotte, Fla.
- Marcia Southern, Simon Youth Kelley Academy at Lincoln Park Center in Knoxville, Tenn.
- Betty Tran, Simon Youth Coast High School Academy in Huntington Beach, Calif.
- Andrea Williams, Simon Youth Academy at McKinley Alternative School in Kokomo, Ind.
In addition to the educators that were honored, several Simon Youth Academies celebrated milestone anniversaries of helping students graduate:
- Simon Youth Academy at Opry Mills in Nashville, Tenn., celebrated 10 years of service.
- Simon Youth Academy at Westminster Mall in Westminster, Calif., celebrated 15 years of service.
- Simon Youth Judson Learning Academy at Rolling Oaks Mall in San Antonio, TX, celebrated 20 years of service.
For more information on Simon Youth Foundation and its 37 nationwide Academies, please visit syf.org.
About Simon Youth Foundation
Simon Youth Foundation (SYF) is a national nonprofit committed to helping students who are on the verge of dropping out of high school graduate and pursue post-secondary educational opportunities. SYF works toward this mission by partnering with local public school districts to launch Simon Youth Academies, alternative classroom settings located primarily in Simon Malls, and by providing Simon Youth Scholarships to Academy graduates and students who live near Simon Malls. Since its inception, SYF has maintained a 90 percent graduation rate at its 37 Simon Youth Academies in 15 states, helping more than 19,850 students earn their high school diplomas, and has awarded over $18 million in scholarships. Visit syf.org to learn more.
