Five TAP Educators Recognized Among Elite Group of Outstanding Educators

A group of accomplished TAP teachers from around the U.S. shook hands with President Obama as they joined the National Teacher of the Year, state Teachers of the Year and other outstanding educators at the White House for an event marking National Teacher Appreciation Day and thanking great teachers. From left, Traci Lust, elementary TAP Master Teacher at Cornell Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa; Lorialle Haynes, second-grade teacher at Collier Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona; Angelina Burrows, TAP Master Teacher at Scott Middle School in Hammond, Indiana; Erica Castillo, TAP Master Teacher at Savannah Heights Intermediate School in Somerset, Texas; and Shaneka Burnett, TAP Master Teacher at Duplessis Primary School in Ascension Parish, Louisiana.

From left, Traci Lust, elementary TAP Master Teacher at Cornell Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa; Lorialle Haynes, second-grade teacher at Collier Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona; Angelina Burrows, TAP Master Teacher at Scott Middle School in Hammond, Indiana; Erica Castillo, TAP Master Teacher at Savannah Heights Intermediate School in Somerset, Texas; and Shaneka Burnett, TAP Master Teacher at Duplessis Primary School in Ascension Parish, Louisiana.

Indiana TAP Master Teacher Angelina Burrows Recognized at White House Among Elite Group of Outstanding Educators. Burrows is a former TSA agent who transitioned to teaching seventh-grade science and then moved up the ranks from career teacher to mentor teacher to master teacher.

Louisiana TAP Master Teacher Shaneka Burnett Recognized at White House Among Elite Group of Outstanding Educators. As a teacher leader she played a key role in significant and sustained academic growth at Lowery Intermediate School, which was recognized for this growth by the state and at the national level by the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching.

Arizona TAP Teacher Lorialle Haynes Recognized at White House Among Elite Group of Outstanding Educators. Haynes participated in a teacher preparation program at ASU in partnership with NIET and is now in her third year as an educator. Haynes’ high student growth scores and effectiveness early in her career led her to be selected by ASU to speak to state policymakers and present in Washington, D.C.

Texas TAP Master Teacher Erica Castillo Recognized at White House Among Elite Group of Outstanding Educators. An energetic teacher who connects well with students, Castillo won the KENS-5 Excel Teacher Award. Her high-need district, serving large numbers of English language learners, showed significant student achievement growth and doubled its teacher retention rate.

Iowa TAP Master Teacher Traci Lust Recognized at White House Among Elite Group of Outstanding Educators. Lust, currently a TAP Master Teacher at Saydel’s Cornell Elementary, plans and implements weekly professional development for all classroom teachers.