Elevating Student and Family Voices

Honored Schools is a program from Honored aimed at recognizing great teachers, elevating student voices, and creating a consistent culture of teacher appreciation within school communities.

The Program

Through the Honored Schools online platform, students (and parents on behalf of younger students) within each participating school community are encouraged to recognize teachers by telling a story of how the teacher made a difference in their life. Every teacher who is recognized will receive their student’s story and will be publicly recognized at their school and on the Honored Schools website. Also, each recognition story serves as a nomination for the annual Honored Schools Life-Changing Teacher Award.

Our Schools

For the 2023-2024 school year, Honored Schools has partnered with 6 schools in Washington DC, 15 schools Indianapolis IN, 16 schools Inglewood CA, and 12 schools New Haven CT.

D.C. Public Schools

Bancroft Elementary School
Brightwood Elementary School
Charles Hart Middle School
Columbia Heights Educational Campus
Powell Elementary School
Randle Highlands Elementary School

Indianapolis Schools

Allisonville Elementary School
Clearwater Elementary School
Crooked Creek Elementary School
Eastwood Middle School
Fox Hill Elementary School
Greenbriar Elementary School
Hilltop Learning Center
J Everett Light Career Center
Nora Elementary School
North Central High School
Northview Middle School
Spring Mill Elementary School
True North Academy
Westlane Middle School
Willow Lake Elementary School

Inglewood Schools

Bennett- Kew Elementary School
Centinela Elementary School
City Honors International Preparatory High School
Crozier Middle School
Frank D Parent Elementary School
Highland Elementary School
Hudnall Elementary School
Inglewood Continuation High School
Inglewood High School
Kelso Elementary School
La Tijera Elementary School
Morningside High School
Oak Street Elementary School
Payne STEAM Academy
Woodworth-Monroe Academy
Worthington Elementary School

New Haven Schools

Barnard Environmental Science & Technology School
Benjamin Jepson Magnet School
East Rock Community and Cultural Studies Magnet School
Edgewood Creative Thinking Through STEAM Magnet School
Engineering & Science University Magnet School
Hill Regional Career High School
High School in the Community
John C. Daniels School of International Communication Interdistrict
Roberto Clemente Leadership Academy For Global Awareness Magnet School
Truman School
Wilbur L. Cross High School
Worthington Hooker School

In May/June 2024, Honored Schools will name Life-Changing Teacher Award recipients in each region from the pool of Honor Stories submitted from schools.

The Award

At the end of each school year, one or more teachers from each participating region will receive the prestigious Honored Schools Life-Changing Teacher Award, which includes a $5,000 unrestricted cash price and national recognition. Award recipients will be selected from each region’s pool of submissions by a local panel of community leaders in consultation with Honored Schools principals. The selection criteria focuses on the important impact the teacher has made on their students’ lives.

Our Team

Honored Schools is a program from Honored, a national leader in teacher recognition.

Mary
Dean

Director or Operations, Programs, and Strategy

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“Cheer was the thing that kept me going. I started competitions at just 4 years old. Later, I competed against teams from around the world and was globally recognized with my all-star team… and then I had an injury. Mrs. Cartmill taught me that I am not defined by the sport I play but by my character and how I treat others. Her ongoing willingness to teach me not only about the sport but also about life is what allowed me to push through the rough patches and come out stronger as a leader. I will never forget the boundaries she helped me break through and her kind words of wisdom.”

Mary brings 7 years of combined EA, operations, and HR experience with high-growth, startup Founder/CEOs to the team. Having spent most of her career supporting organizations with overall operations and building processes from the ground up, Mary brings a unique pairing of business development and structural improvement to provide successful implementation for our programs. Her areas of expertise include project management, system migration, process development, data analysis, and strategic problem-solving. Mary has worked with industries across B2B and B2C in digital marketing, recruiting and staffing, nonprofit organizations, and more. She focuses on helping organizations solve their most difficult problems with effective solutions so that they can become more efficient while scaling. Known for having a keen eye for spotting gaps in processes, Mary has a tendency to take initiative and create workflows from scratch to help streamline those for both internal and external clients. Mary is passionate about understanding the “why” and approaches problems with proactiveness to prevent organizational fires from occurring in the future. This has allowed Mary to truly appreciate all functions needed in honoring and elevating transformative teachers. Mary is on a mission to see that others have a starting point without having to start from zero. Working with and mentoring colleagues around the globe throughout her career has provided some of her most fulfilling moments.

Kim
Barrett

Executive Director

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“Cheer was the thing that kept me going. I started competitions at just 4 years old. Later, I competed against teams from around the world and was globally recognized with my all-star team… and then I had an injury. Mrs. Cartmill taught me that I am not defined by the sport I play but by my character and how I treat others. Her ongoing willingness to teach me not only about the sport but also about life is what allowed me to push through the rough patches and come out stronger as a leader. I will never forget the boundaries she helped me break through and her kind words of wisdom.”

Mary brings 7 years of combined EA, operations, and HR experience with high-growth, startup Founder/CEOs to the team. Having spent most of her career supporting organizations with overall operations and building processes from the ground up, Mary brings a unique pairing of business development and structural improvement to provide successful implementation for our programs. Her areas of expertise include project management, system migration, process development, data analysis, and strategic problem-solving. Mary has worked with industries across B2B and B2C in digital marketing, recruiting and staffing, nonprofit organizations, and more. She focuses on helping organizations solve their most difficult problems with effective solutions so that they can become more efficient while scaling. Known for having a keen eye for spotting gaps in processes, Mary has a tendency to take initiative and create workflows from scratch to help streamline those for both internal and external clients. Mary is passionate about understanding the “why” and approaches problems with proactiveness to prevent organizational fires from occurring in the future. This has allowed Mary to truly appreciate all functions needed in honoring and elevating transformative teachers. Mary is on a mission to see that others have a starting point without having to start from zero. Working with and mentoring colleagues around the globe throughout her career has provided some of her most fulfilling moments.

“My third grade teacher, Mr. Ross, had such a profound impact on me as a student and as a person. He made learning fun and exciting, and I have such vivid memories of his Goosebumps readings, Tower of Hanoi competitions, and class circles. He took time to check in with us about life outside of school, and he made me feel seen, important, and capable. I hope every child has a Mr. Ross in their life, and I hope every Mr. Ross knows what a difference they make. ”

Kim Barrett brings over 14 years of experience in the education sector to Honored. Her expertise includes talent strategy, leadership development, strategic planning, and fiscal management. She began her career as a college admission counselor in Arkansas and subsequently spent over a decade in district administration at DC Public Schools. As Deputy Chief of Schools, Kim served as an advisor to DCPS’ Deputy Chancellor, ensured collaboration and alignment across functional offices, led strategic initiatives, and oversaw administrative and financial operations for 4 offices comprised of over 600 employees and a total budget of $140MM. Kim has also served as an independent consultant supporting strategic planning, talent strategy, and grant management for a variety of school districts, charter management organizations, non-profits, and mission-driven organizations working in K-12 education. Kim holds a bachelor’s degree in history and international relations from Hendrix College, a master’s degree in public policy and human development from Maastricht University, and an executive master’s in leadership from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Invisible

How does my school become an Honored School?

Honored Schools is currently accepting inquiries for participation in our program. If your school would like to learn more about participating in Honored Schools, please send us a note at [email protected].

Who may be recognized?

Classroom teachers of any subject, full-time or part-time, currently teaching at your school may be recognized and are eligible for the Honored Schools Life-Changing Teacher Award. Other school staff members may also be recognized, but they are not eligible for the award.

Who may recognize a teacher?

Current or former students, and parents or other family members on behalf of students (particularly the younger ones who may need a hand completing the form!)

How do you decide who is awarded the Honored Schools Life-Changing Teacher Award?

Award recipients will be selected from each region’s pool of submissions by a local panel of community leaders in consultation with Honored Schools principals. The selection criteria focuses on the important impact the teacher has made on the nominating student’s life. The panel will also consider the volume of submissions in proportion to school and class size and resource equity.

Will my teacher know about the recognition?

Yes! Your teacher will receive an email with your Honor Story and will know what an impact they’ve had on you. Your school will celebrate all recognized teachers in a variety of ways. Your nominations will also be published on The Honor Roll on honoredschools.org so that other people can read about all of the inspiring teachers at your school. Who knows, your teacher may become internet famous!

If my teacher is selected as the Honored Schools Life-Changing Teacher Award recipient, what happens?

Your teacher will receive a well-deserved $5,000 in unrestricted cash award and will be celebrated at your school and across the country! Your teacher will also be featured on honoredschools.org.

Is your school or district interested in participating in Honored Schools? Reach out to [email protected].