Posted 4/4/2024
The Economic Council of Palm Beach County, Inc. has named the finalists for the 40th annual William T. Dwyer Awards for Excellence in Education. This year, all 28 finalists are from Palm Beach County School District-operated schools. The complete list of finalists is provided below.
The finalists were chosen out of more than 400 nominations. Nominees complete a comprehensive application process which is then carefully evaluated by Palm Beach County business leaders. Judging takes place over the course of several rounds of assessment before the top four educators are ultimately identified in each of the seven categories.
Each finalist will participate in a final round of judging that will include a panel interview conducted by Palm Beach County business leaders. The award winners will be announced and honored during a ceremony on May 14, 2024 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.
Congratulations to the District’s 2024 Dywer Awards Finalists:
Grow Up Great: Early Learning Education
- Cathy Eckstein – Wellington Elementary
- Nathalee English – Liberty Park Elementary
- Cindy Fakhoury – Lake Worth Community High
- Heather Orloski – Citrus Cove Elementary
Elementary Education
- Megan Betancourt – Sandpiper Shores Elementary
- Lois Gray – Seminole Trails Elementary
- David Allen-LoCaputo – Liberty Park Elementary
- Brandie Soto – Binks Forest Elementary
Middle School Education
- Amy Finneran – Boca Raton Middle
- Kristen Karvonen – Palm Springs Middle
- Shakendra Moorer – Bak Middle School of the Arts
- Shannon Solis – Village Academy
Senior High School Education
- Nayyat Bogosyan – Spanish River Community High
- Kimberly Coyle – Olympic Heights Community High
- Wendy Dublin – Park Vista Community High
- Stacy Stephens-Miller – Atlantic Community High
STEM Education
- Claudia Chavarria – Pioneer Park Elementary
- William Colman – Howell L. Watkins Middle
- Molly Harding – Frontier Elementary
- Cheryl Huey – Jupiter Middle
Exceptional Student Education
- Julie Bee – Allamanda Elementary
- Chelsey Carr – Lake Worth Middle
- Jessica Maharrey – Palm Springs Middle
- Rita Wicks – Lantana Elementary
Student Support and Advancement
- Jessica Bayani – Palm Springs Middle
- Lori Landes – Omni Middle School
- Janell Leatherman – Emerald Cove Middle
- Olga Middleton – Dreyfoos School of the Arts
The Dwyer Awards is an annual program developed and supported by the Economic Council to honor outstanding educators from public and private schools in Palm Beach County. The Awards increase awareness of exemplary teaching in the community, provide financial support to educators, and encourages all residents to promote high standards for excellence in education.
