Today, Discovery Education celebrates a remarkable cohort of districts, schools, and educators recognized in the inaugural Discovery Education Awards! While the submissions were all unique, a common theme stood out: each awardee leads the way in fostering student growth and boundless learner curiosity. We had an excellent pool of worthy candidates and are thrilled to honor such deserving winners—read on to learn more about this special event.
2024 Educators of the Year
The Educators of the Year were selected due to their clear commitment to student achievement, innovative teaching practices, and unique contributions to student learning. Congratulations to the five Discovery Education Educators of the Year!
McKenna Akane, Alberton School District, Montana
McKenna Akane designs lessons that are interactive, relevant, and meaningful by connecting classroom concepts to real-world applications and experiences. Whether through field trips, guest speakers, or project-based learning activities, she helps students see the practical implications of what they are learning, sparking their curiosity and engagement.
Mrs. Akane has developed a proposal for a Virtual Reality (VR) project and curriculum that will truly revolutionize the way students across the country learn and interact with Montana’s Indigenous community. Working together with the University of Montana, Blackfoot Communications, and several other local partnerships, she has developed a K-12 project to provide meaningful Indian Education for All experiences. Utilizing high-powered computers and 360-degree cameras, students will reach out to Montana First Nations to record language, cultural traditions, ceremonies, and document tribal history from different Nations. In partnership with a VR education company, her students will then create VR lessons and tours and upload them to the company’s course offerings where other students across the world will be able to connect and interact with Montana’s Indigenous People virtually.
Frank Bogden, Loudoun County Public Schools, Virginia
Mr. Bodgen uses a variety of materials, technology, and resources to promote the development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills in all students. Mr. Bogden has gone from creating Genius Hours in his classroom to creating a Makerspace complete with LEGO bricks, Ozobots, Makey Makeys, and two 3-D Printers! He is particularly proud of how he discussed and used green screens for a myriad of uses for students. His lessons have inspired students to apply various greens screens to create stories, provide summaries, and create reports on a variety of academic topics.
Mr. Bogden is also credited with bringing computer science and Discovery Education resources into every classroom in the school! There were many teachers who didn’t know about Discovery Education and didn’t know their students could complete many computer science projects and concepts. The innovative initiatives Mr. Bodgen has spearheaded provide real-world connections, foster curiosity, and recognize the uniqueness of each student.
Rodney Crouse, Guilford County Schools, North Carolina
Rodney Crouse captures moments to hook and leave students on the edge of their seats when he’s teaching. He finds creative and invigorating ways to take students on an amazing learning journey. He infuses content across all core subjects to make learning time meaningful for all levels of learners.
Mr. Crouse recently organized a virtual field trip touring a local museum, the Greensboro History Museum. He knew that students may not be able to see or feel the artifacts and that it was important to get them as close as possible.
The nomination for Mr. Crouse explained, “He looks for new challenges and ways to evolve as an educator. It’s like he’s on a real-time mission and looking for the schools/students who need him, and he works with district curriculum staff to create units for teacher use. When you watch him teach, he engages and connects with every learner in the process. That’s how he writes units and plans lessons—with students at the center of the learning.”
Debbie Martin, Frederick County Public Schools, Virginia
Debbie Martin inspires other teachers to utilize resources, including Discovery Education tools, to allow students to independently discover, work collaboratively, and access curriculum in a way that helps them make sense of the world. Ms. Martin takes a vested interest in all she works with, both adults and students, to ensure they have access to the highest quality instructional support and resources.
Ms. Martin led the district to increase the use of Discovery Education as a meaningful and intentional resource that drives student learning, specifically in social studies and science. Ms. Martin used her knowledge of Discovery Education tools, along with her excitement, to help teachers find valuable tools to provide direct instruction, independent discovery for students, collaborative activities, and even leveled reading.
As Ms. Martin wraps up her career as an educator, her growth is immeasurable. Her ability to coach teachers so that they are driving their own learning and discovery of resources is impeccable. Ms. Martin knows that everyone has different needs and continues to grow her strategies and resources to help others do the same!
Rita Mortenson, Verona Area School District, Wisconsin
Rita Mortenson is a technology coach who helps educators develop their capacity to use technology in equitable, creative, and meaningful ways. She loves finding creative ways to nurture student curiosity and allow them to showcase their knowledge authentically.
In the Verona Area School District, Ms. Mortenson has used Discovery Virtual Field Trips to pair high school students with various grades for collaborative learning events. After watching the virtual field trip, high school students and students from different grades engage in activities that deepen understanding and create connections. For example, after students watched the Discovery Education/LEGO Virtual Field Trip ‘Play to Learn,’ students from a neighboring elementary school came to the high school to work with a robotics class. They had an opportunity to build and play with LEGO bricks and robots.
When she first joined the Discovery Educator Network, Ms. Mortenson was an enthusiastic participant, and over time, she has evolved as a leader. She recently presented at the DENSI Summer 2023 Institute, the 2023 Fall Virtcon, the 2024 “24+ Ways to Use DE in 2024,” and has a proposal accepted at ISTE that will focus on DE Virtual Field Trips. Ms. Mortenson’s involvement with DE reflects her commitment to her own learning and her contributions to educational technology advancement in her community.
2024 Schools of the Year
The Schools of the Year exhibit a commitment to supporting their teachers, students, and local communities with unwavering dedication. Congratulations to both of the Discovery Education Schools of the Year!
Franklin Regional Intermediate School, Murrysville. PA
Franklin Regional Intermediate’s mission is to spark students’ ability to “Make an Impact Through Sustainable Growth”. They incorporate innovative practices enabling each student to meet their personal goals and celebrate every success, ensuring that students are motivated to grow academically, emotionally, and socially. Franklin Regional Intermediate believes that competence creates confidence. The students feel connected to the faculty, staff, and administration at Franklin Regional Intermediate and this, in turn, results in success for all.
Franklin Regional’s Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) practices allow teachers to meet the students exactly where they are academically. The data is analyzed weekly to determine students’ progress toward the next tier and teachers receive professional development, materials, and resources to ensure consistent practices across all grade levels and tiers of support. The Franklin Regional students are seeing a great deal of growth, exemplified by 100% of third graders exiting the most intense level of support in reading.
The Franklin Regional school librarian also provides professional development for all teachers in the building sharing media support, instructional strategies, and highlighting different digital teaching tools. The school also named “Discovery Education Digital Ambassadors,” to support teachers’ efforts in utilizing Discovery Education and other digital resources to best meet their students’ needs.
Madison Rose Lane School, Phoenix, AZ
Madison Rose Lane’s mission, “Student, Staff, Community: Learning for All!”, is an indicator that every student at Madison Rose Lane will succeed. The school community works as a team to meet each student’s individual needs, support one another on their school campus, and help the larger community flourish as well.
Madison Rose Lane ensures that all students’ needs are met using a multi-layered approach. The resident social worker and counselor strive to meet the social-emotional needs of the community by running social skills groups, holding individual sessions, and providing resources to the entire community. Madison Rose Lane educators also pride themselves on offering a high-quality performing arts school. For many students, it is critical for them to express themselves in an artistic way through dance, art, theater, PE, and music.
This school year, the Madison Rose Lane community has also welcomed almost 20 refugee students, providing clothing and food to new families and developing a schedule and educational programming to benefit them.
Learn More about how Discovery Education Supports Educators!
2024 District of the Year
The Districts of the Year exemplify a unified mission and district-wide collaboration toward student achievement goals. Congratulations to the three Discovery Education Districts of the Year!
Kansas City Public Schools, Missouri
At Kansas City Public Schools, the core belief is that all students deserve an educational experience that allows them to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically. This philosophy is reflected in the district mission statement: “Upholding the promise of an equitable educational experience so Kansas City students thrive socially, emotionally and academically.“
Kansas City Public Schools strives to create a fairer learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed. Through individualized support and positive school climates, each student’s unique needs are recognized and addressed. District graduation rates and standardized test scores have steadily risen in recent years, demonstrating improved student success in completing their academic journeys.
At Kansas City Public Schools, student success is defined beyond just academic achievement, as the district strives to cultivate well-rounded individuals who are prepared for life after graduation. The district offers career and technical education pathways, internships, project-based learning initiatives, and service-learning opportunities to connect classroom knowledge to real-world applications. There is also an initiative called “Beyond the Four Walls” to ensure all students have access to at least one field trip a year that is planned and paid for by the district. Ultimately, Kansas City Public Schools wants graduates to be thriving individuals who are prepared to lead fulfilling lives.
Pasco County Schools, Florida
Pasco County’s vision is to create a community which works together so all students will reach their highest potential. What resonates most is the “Community of Schools” working in support of three fundamental principles: Continuous Progress, Continuity of Caring, and Ensuring Equity and Excellence for students.
Each student is cared for and taught to maximize their cognitive, academic, social/emotional, and moral development. The guiding principles and key concepts, the curriculum content area standards, and the organizational structure all come together to focus on each learner. To best meet the diverse needs of students, Pasco County offers flexible school schedules, a balanced school year calendar, adult education, and extended day or afterschool programs for students.
Pasco County Schools secured the highest graduation rate among all school districts in the Tampa Bay Area at 91.1% and exceeds the state average of 88%. Pasco County has been a district-wide partner of Discovery Education since 2018, with Science TechBook at the Elementary levels, Mystery Science, and Discovery Education Experience.
Richland School District Two, South Carolina
Richland School District Two operates on a philosophy that believes in the right of every student to access high-quality education tailored to their individual needs, interests, and aspirations. The district’s mission focuses on the development of global citizens prepared to lead and excel in a diverse and constantly evolving world. This vision is brought to life through innovative teaching, inclusive educational practices, and a learning community that values excellence.
Richland School District Two defines success as the holistic development of students who are not only academically accomplished but also equipped with the skills and qualities necessary to thrive as global citizens: critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills. The district envisions its graduates as individuals prepared to contribute positively to their communities and the global society, demonstrating resilience, adaptability, and a lifelong passion for learning.
Richland School District Two extends education beyond the classroom walls through real-world applications, community engagement projects, and the integration of technology. The partnership with Discovery Education is a prime example, introducing innovative resources and methodologies that allow students to connect learning with the world around them. The impact of such initiatives is evident in improved student outcomes, including higher engagement rates, academic achievements, and successful community-focused projects, showcasing students’ ability to meaningfully apply their learning.
As Teacher Appreciation week starts, we are excited to celebrate the impact all educators have on students and recognize the many ways educators create nurturing, inspiring learning environments. Thank you to all educators working hard to help students grow and a special congratulations to the educators, schools, and districts who won Discovery Education Awards!
