JOSTENS RENAISSANCE EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

2024 RECIPIENTS

Lizzie Herring is the principal of Mayde Creek High School in Houston, TX.  She is a proud alumna of Texas A&M University where she received both her Bachelors in Special Education and her Masters in Education. Lizzie has been in multiple roles in schools for 24 years, and has been a Renaissance educator for eight of those years.

When we asked Lizzie how Renaissance has impacted Mayde Creek High School’s culture these past few years of doing Renaissance, she said: “We began here at MCHS with a strong focus on our Staffulty recognition. What I have seen over time is the effects of this flowing down to our students and truly just building a culture of recognition. For a long time our students have seen our school is less than some others, but I have seen that school pride increase steadily these last few years and become something they are very outspoken about. MCHS is a very special place – we just needed the kids to see it too! And I believe that many of them do and this will only grow!”

Reading through her multiple letters of nomination, we learned that many of her peers and students agree with her. Kendall Sanchez, a teacher at Mayde Creek High School wrote: “As a Mayde Creek High School alumna myself, I can attest that I have never experienced a more energetic and inclusive atmosphere such as the current one at MCHS. Through her leadership, Lizzie has instilled a sense of pride and belonging in every student, laying the foundation for their success.”

When she isn’t busy making the people at Mayde Creek High School feel seen, heard, and loved, you can find Lizzie watching Rom Coms, eating Tex Mex and doing her favorite hobby – being a mom!

Ginger Stovall a teacher and Leadership Coordinator at Henderson County High School in Henderson, KY.  Ginger earned her Bachelors in Political Science as well as her Master in Education from the University of Kentucky. She has been in education for 22 years and has been a Renaissance Coordinator since 2015. She was recognized a Renaissance Staffulty of the Month in December 2019.

Some of you may know Ginger from her energetic breakout sessions, often with her partner in crime – Connor Mattingly. When nominating her, Connor said: “She took our school culture from being non-existent to being the number one thing students refer to in graduation speeches and the number one topic of discussion in our community… Over 60% of our student body are participating in Spirit Week activities and over 50% of our student body were going entire 9 weeks with a 2.5 GPA and above, NO unexcused absences, and NO write-ups.” Thomas Berger, a student, backed up Connor by saying: “Mrs. Stovall has changed my life as a student. Her spirit has influenced how I approach school as well as my purpose in school.”

We asked Ginger how Renaissance has affected her personally, and her response was something that almost any educator can relate to. She said: “I wrote my Masters paper around the concept that being a teacher is always being ‘under construction’, you are never ‘done.’ Instead, always going through updates, cycles, new standards, more & more professional development. We all agree that teaching is not a job, not a career, but a LIFESTYLE. As an educator, it just so happened that Renaissance came into a time of my life when I needed it most – like the gears that had all been turning independently suddenly lined up in in sync. It all made sense. So here I am 22 years into this journey and more excited than ever to keep recognizing and rewarding what we want repeated! So simple yet so profound – I’m not done!”

Besides planning the best spirit weeks for her school, Ginger can be found outside on a boat in any kind of body of water, is a “chronic event planner” (no surprise there) and can be heard on the radio as a host!

Kevin “KJ” Johnson is the principal of The Lucille Umbarger Elementary School in Burlington, WA. KJ received his Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Western Washington University and his Masters in Education from Grand Canyon University. He has been an educator for 24 years, and involved with Renaissance for 12 years.

The Lucille Umbarger Elementary School has experienced tremendous growth in student reading literacy. While KJ attributes it to his team and Renaissance, we join in with the chorus of teachers who attribute that growth to KJ. Donna Cole, a teacher at the Lucille Umbarger School said: “Kevin Johnson’s success doesn’t stem solely from the program itself. He has tirelessly championed Renaissance, leading professional development sessions for staff, mentoring colleagues, and fostering a collaborative environment. KJ embodies the spirit of Renaissance, serving as a constant source of encouragement and inspiration for students, teachers, and the entire school community.”

We asked KJ how Renaissance has affected him personally, and the Ren Team got a little teary eyed. He said: “Scott Krenz, my Jostens Rep, saved my life at a really low point personally, mentally, and professionally by introducing me to Renaissance. In 2012, he paid for me to attend my first Renaissance conference in Orlando… to say the experience was inspiring minimizes the use of the word; I wept through every session. I wept through the opening day concert by the band Parachute, I wept at Epcot, and I wept as Kevin Carroll closed the conference – I had found my people! Every day since the end of that conference, I have lived my life with more love to give, as a servant leader in my community, ready to change the lives of people school sites across my region of Washington, and, most importantly, I have discovered my purpose in life – to leave every person I meet feeling better about themselves than before we connected, and each place I serve people at healthier than before I arrived (including my own home). Mark Twain said, ‘The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you found out why.’ I finally connected my dots in July of 2012 in Orlando, and I will never be able to fully repay the Renaissance community for it.”

In addition to being the leader of the LU Wolf Pack, KJ enjoys football, cheering for his daughters Mahder  and Claire, attending comedy shows, and laughing really loudly!

Sherry Danielle Purdy is a Renaissance Coordinator and English Teacher at Cane Bay High School in Summerville, SC. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Literature from University of North Carolina- Asheville and Masters in Education from Southern Wesleyan University. She has been teaching for 17 years, with 13 of those years teaching Renaissance.

Debra Summers, a fellow teacher at Cane Bay High School, wrote: “Any student, whether they are a current or former student, can ask Sherry for support and she will be front row and center cheering on their victories and accomplishments. For this reason, students continually select Sherry to be their escort on senior nights and during Homecoming court.”

The Renaissance Team saw this for ourselves when we read the student recommendations for Sherry. Student Carmen Hampton wrote “Mrs. Purdy is accountable and constantly reliable. If I was to have no one to support me at an event, I know for a fact that Mrs. Purdy would be in the stands cheering me on.” Another student, Bailey Barrett, added “My mom couldn’t come to my events because she had to watch my sister and my dad was always on deployment. Even though she doesn’t know it, Mrs. Purdy has healed that part of my heart and makes me determined to continue my passions from singing to sports.”

When asked what advice she would give to a school starting out with the Renaissance Framework, Sherry said: “Pick one to two Renaissance strategies to implement. You are going to hear or have heard some amazing Renaissance strategies and ideas. Be realistic. You know your students, Staffulty, and budget. Start small. If done right, it will create a snowball effect.”

Sherry enjoys singing in church, karaoke, dancing, being a Band mom and a Volleyball mom.

Vanessa Hitchcock Sweeney is an English Teacher, Student Council Advisor, and Renaissance Coordinator at Marshall County High School in Lewisburg, TN. She received her degree in English Literature from University of Tennessee at Martin, and has been at Marshall County High School for 11 years – with ten of those being the Renaissance Coordinator.

Former student Gracie Steeley wrote: “One of Vanessa’s most significant contributions [to Marshall County] has been her dedication to creating meaningful recognition programs that celebrate the diverse talents and accomplishments of our students. Whether it’s through academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, or acts of kindness and service, she has ensured that every student has the opportunity to be recognized and celebrated for their contributions to our school community. She has not only exemplified this skill set herself but has also imparted it to me and so many others, profoundly shaping my approach to leadership.”

We asked Vanessa what her favorite Renaissance moment has been for her this past decade, and she said “Our very first Back to School Bash was such a defining moment for Marshall County High School. The students had heard about a “no backpack day” while at JRGC (then called JRNC), and it was the ONE idea they wanted to make a reality for MCHS. We went from rules and syllabi on the first half day to a day of games and relationship building. From the balloon arches and music in the gym to ending the day with a pep rally, kids were excited to be back at school for the year. It’s become a yearly tradition, and we’ve started the past six years with the same energy and excitement!”

When not at school, you can find Vanessa cheering on the Atlanta Braves, riding roller coasters with her husband Ryan, and spending time with her family.

Previous Educators of the Year