During the Spring Recognition Brunch on June 7, 2024, Northshore Council PTSA recognized a few special people who go above and beyond in service to our community and promote the well-being and education of children in our district and beyond. Below are this year's Northshore Council PTSA Recognition Awards Recipients.
A special thank you to this year's Awards Committee members, Grace Juardo and Melissa Kline. Learn more about PTA Recogntion Awards and how your PTA can recognize those who go above and beyond in your school community. Awards of ExcellenceEach year, Washington State PTA recognizes the work of individuals, PTAs, and Councils across the state via a variety of awards, including Leadership Academy and the Awards of Excellence Program. Ruby Bridges Elementary PTSA, Woodinville High School PTSA, and Northshore Council PTSA submitted applications and were recognized for their efforts at the 2024 WSPTA Annual Convention and Business Meeting held on May 17th - 19th.
Awards work to celebrate the efforts of local PTAs and Councils in a variety of different areas. The criteria reflect a strong knowledge and application of best practices and the submission process can be rigorous. These awards are truly reflective of the dedication and strength of these PTAs and the powerful contributions they make to their communities. Congratulations to all!
Learn more about the WSPTA Standards of Excellence Awards and Leadership Awards and apply for your PTA next year. Membership Growth Awards
Congratulations to our Northshore PTA/PTSAs that have earned
WSPTA Membership Awards in 2023-2024!! 100% Staff Membership Award Gold Level
Gold Level recognizes local PTAs that have enrolled the same number of staff as the number of certificated staff in their school building. This year WSPTA had 33 local PTAs that earned this award.
Membership Growth Awards:
To highlight the importance of membership growth, Washington State PTA recognizes local PTAs for enrolling more members than they did in the previous year. As PTAs achieve incremental increases in membership growth, they are recognized for each milestone they reach. *As of May 17, 2024. Growth awards can be earned through the end of June!
Membership Growth Awards
𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 |
We would love to shine the spotlight on your 2023-2024 PTA award winners! | Does your PTA give out a Golden Acorn award? Maybe an Outstanding Educator, or an Outstanding Advocate award? Or more? Please share with us this year's recipient(s) by completing this form. We would like to create a list of all of our local PTA award winners to share with the community. These volunteers deserve to be celebrated!!! If possible, please let us know your award winners by Friday, May 31st so they can be celebrated in our last eNews of the school year! Questions? Contact Jenn Snyder at [email protected]. |
WSPTA has a formal volunteer award recognition program allowing local PTAs to award honors for outstanding educator, advocate, student advocate, and volunteer (Golden Acorn), as well as the honorary life membership award.
Local PTAs should appoint an awards committee who will gather nominations, review them, and choose the award recipients. This can be done during a meeting or some PTAs even choose to have the previous year's award recipients chair this committee. Check your Standing Rules as it may say who is on the committee. When the awards committee advertises for nomination submissions, it can be done via social media, newsletters, website, email, or even school flyers. To make it even easier for members to submit nominations, the awards committee can create an online submission form using tools like Google Forms or Survey Monkey.
For recognizing the award recipients, your PTA can hold a volunteer recognition event or take time during a Membership Meeting to celebrate them. WSPTA offers a variety of items your PTA can order online to celebrate your award recipients including certificates, pins, plaques, and even yard signs!
- Golden Acorn – presented to volunteer(s) in recognition of their dedication and service to children and youth in your community.
- Outstanding Advocate – Honors individuals for their continued and dedicated service to ALL children demonstrating a commitment to speaking up for children in the areas relating to health, welfare, safety, and education of children and youth.
- Honorary Life Membership – Recognizes an individual who has contributed significantly to a PTA at the local unit, council, or state level. This special award can be given by a PTA unit, council, or region.
- Outstanding Student Advocate Award - Recognizes students who have made significant contributions through leadership and service in their school and community.
- Outstanding Educator – Individuals who go beyond the normal expectations of their jobs to make the learning environment fun, beneficial and challenging.
2024 Northshore Council PTSA Awards Nomination Form
Click link to complete form.
Multiple submissions can be completed for multiple nominees!
- Outstanding Educator – Honors individuals who go beyond the normal expectations of their jobs to make the learning environment fun, beneficial and challenging. An educator is not limited to a teacher and may be defined as a teacher, assistant, specialist, support staff, administrator, or community member.
- Outstanding Advocate – Honors individuals for their continued and dedicated service to ALL children demonstrating a commitment to speaking up for children in the areas relating to health, welfare, safety, and education of children and youth.
- Outstanding Service - This is the highest volunteer award given by the Washington State PTA. It is awarded to someone who has gone beyond his or her own school community, job, or PTA in order to give dedicated volunteer service to children. Note: This award may only be given by a council. Local PTA members are encouraged to nominate deserving volunteers to the council for this recognition.
- Honorary Life Membership – Recognizes an individual who has contributed significantly to a PTA at the local unit, council, or state level. This special award can be given by a PTA unit, council, or region.
- Outstanding Student Advocate Award - Recognizes students who have made significant contributions through leadership and service in their school and community.
- Golden Acorn – A Golden Acorn Award is presented by a local PTA or council to a school or community volunteer in recognition of her or his dedication and service to children and youth.
Questions? Contact Council Awards Committee.
Friday, June 7, 2024.
If you are interested in joining the planning committee, please contact VP of Events,
Melissa Bennett [email protected].
The first meeting will be held on Thursday, April 18 at 7 PM via Zoom.
Outstanding Advocate - Amelie Fry The Outstanding Student Advocate Award recognizes students who have made significant contributions through leadership and service in their school and community. Northshore Council PTSA’s 2023 Outstanding Student Advocate is Amelie Fry. Amelie has served on Northshore School District’s student board for three years, organized voter registration drives and worked hard to get youth involved in local politics. She has also been in attendance at several School Board meetings, even getting up to speak at some—not an easy task for a teenager to do these days. Amelie has worked with Northshore Council’s mental health and DEI committees, recently presenting at Council’s RARE event. She is also passionate about the arts, having participated in Council’s Reflections program, both as a contestant and for two years as a volunteer judge. This student is dedicated to helping others. Congratulations, Amelie! Outstanding Service - Kelly Hennessey The Outstanding Service Award is the highest volunteer award given by the Washington State PTA. It is awarded to someone who has gone beyond his or her own school community, job, or PTA in order to give dedicated volunteer service to children. This year, the Outstanding Service Award was presented to Kelly Hennessey. Like many other PTA volunteers, Kelly balances a career and family with volunteer work on her local PTA boards as well as other youth sports boards, and does an amazing job in those roles alone. However, there is another role Kelly occupies that has had a major impact on families across the district. For several years, she has been the driving force behind Threads and Treads, a free clothing bank for families in the Northshore School District. Her time is not limited to looking for grants or setting up clothing donation drives; she also coordinates a core group of adult volunteers and organizes youth volunteers throughout the school year to provide a space for students and their families to come “shop” for clothing. The environment she has created has helped families feel welcome and relaxed, it provides a space where people not only shop for clothes but also feel part of a community. Congratulations, Kelly! | Outstanding Advocate - Juliana Fisher The Outstanding Advocate Award honors individuals for their continued and dedicated service to ALL children demonstrating a commitment to speaking up for children in the areas relating to health, welfare, safety, and education of children and youth. Northshore Council PTSA’s 2023 Outstanding Advocate is Juliana Fisher, Northshore School District’s Director of Food Services. Juliana has seen firsthand the benefits of the free lunch for all program last school year for Northshore students and has advocated in Olympia for increased funding. She has also worked to create more varied communication of school lunch menus, including social media and a visual menu that makes the menu more accessible to elementary students and students with disabilities. In addition to her work behind the scenes, Juliana has presented at local PTAs as well as Council to help educate families, provide resources and talk about current legislation in Washington state related to school meals. Congratulations, Juliana! Golden Acorn - Mary Khouzam The Golden Acorn Award is presented to a Northshore Council PTSA volunteer in recognition of their dedication and service to children and youth. This year's Golden Acorn was presented to Mary Khouzam. The Nominators’ words to describe Mary include compassionate, dedicated, professional and inspiring. Mary has been a staple on the boards of many local PTAs over the years, as well as on Northshore Council PTSA’s board the past three years. She frequently volunteers to be on committees, asking balanced questions and bringing up a fresh perspective to make sure all angles are considered. Mary has created subcommittees to work on proposals put before Council, looking first for perspective or background on the issue at hand and then holding productive, task-based meetings to keep things on point. This year, with no VP of Events, Mary stepped in to ensure that Council could put on two major events in person for the first time in three years. Congratulations, Mary! |
Outstanding Educator - Cheryl Klemz The Outstanding Educator Award honors individuals who go beyond the normal expectations of their jobs to make the learning environment fun, beneficial, and challenging. One of two Outstanding Educator Awards was presented to Cheryl Klemz of Canyon Park Middle School. Cheryl has been teaching secondary school in the Northshore School District for 20 years. She is well-respected by their fellow staff members, having served on several school committees including SDLT, Climate and Culture Committee and more. Cheryl has created a classroom environment where all students feel welcome to share their talents and ideas without ridicule or judgement. Her classroom is a safe space for middle school students to be themselves, with many opting to hang out there during lunch time to hang out, be silly or just to connect with her. Perhaps the best way to summarize her impact is in the words of current and past students. “She is an engaging and enthusiastic teacher. She always told stories and her love of drama made me and others love drama. She was always aware of the students and would pull in anyone who was off by themselves. She let me be myself.” “She is so fun and outgoing! She makes acting on stage so interactive and I never feel anxious with her there!” “She is a truly amazing teacher! Not only does she put up with rowdy middle schoolers but she instructs them and guides them to create fully fledged productions. She inspires and empowers her students to work hard and explore their talents. She wants everyone to get their chance to shine, so much so that she goes through the trouble of managing not one but sometimes more than six different casts for a single show!” Congratulations, Cheryl! | Outstanding Educator - Christy Lipke The Outstanding Educator Award honors individuals who go beyond the normal expectations of their jobs to make the learning environment fun, beneficial and challenging. Northshore Council PTSA’s Outstanding Educator Award was also given to Christy Lipke of Woodin Elementary. Christy has been teaching in the Northshore School District for several years. She teaches our youngest learners and creates an experience for these students and their families that welcomes and includes all of them into the school community as well as fosters a love of learning. She utilizes several different communication tools to create a bridge from school to home where everyone feels connected, informed and equipped to help students succeed. Visitors to her kindergarten classroom note that the students are engaged, learning continuously, and are genuinely loved by their teacher. Christy's commitment to her students does not end at the classroom door. She also is active in the school’s PTA, can be seen helping at PTA events, has served as the PTA’s staff liaison and has personally recruited her kindergarten parents involved in PTA leadership. Three words to describe her as a teacher are caring, fun, and dedicated. Congratulations, Christy! |
Learn more about PTA Recogntion Awards and how your PTA can recognize those who go above and beyond in your school community.

Many PTA's do this through WSPTA's formal volunteer award recognition program which allows for local PTAs to award for outstanding educator, advocate, student advocate, and volunteer (Golden Acorn), as well as the honorary life membership award. A portion of the cost of the awards goes directly toward the WSPTA Scholarship Program benefiting students. This means the gift given to our amazing volunteers becomes a gift that keeps on giving by helping students pay for continued education.
Council is excited to share in the celebration of our local
Northshore PTA Award Recipients!
PTA |
Award / Recipient |
Canyon Park Middle School PTSA |
Golden Acorn: Tina Neil Outstanding Advocate: Patricia Herrera Outstanding Educator: Malisa Spencer |
Fernwood Elementary PTSA |
Golden Acorn : Aleah Dometita Outstanding Educator: Alison Fada |
Frank Love Elementary PTA |
Golden Acorn: Renae Sowald Outstanding Advocate: Katie Long Outstanding Educator: Amanda Sympson Outstanding Educator: Rebecca Wynkoop |
Innovation Lab High School PTSA |
Golden Acorn- Heather Bloom Outstanding Educator- Dr. Ashley Crisp Student Advocate- Victoria Tchervenski |
Kenmore Elementary PTA |
Golden Acorn: Maria Cone Golden Acorn: Patti Foster Outstanding Educator: Dana Plant |
Kenmore Middle School PTSA |
Golden Acorn: Jessica Read Outstanding Educator: TBA Outstanding Advocate: Christine Roehnelt |
Kokanee Elementary PTA |
Golden Acorn: Fatima Padela Golden Acorn: Ramesh Chundru |
Leota Middle School PTSA |
Golden Acorn: Dawn Simpson Outstanding Educator: Gary Warmbrodt Outstanding Educator: Douglas Poage Outstanding Advocate: Tony Van Zeyl Outstanding Student Advocate: Julien Wong |
Lockwood Elementary PTA |
Golden Acorn Award: Izabela Michnicki Outstanding Advocate Award: Sean Schoenfeldt Outstanding Educator Award: Bryce Wallace |
Maywood Elementary PTA |
Golden Acorn: Julia Cole Golden Acorn: Mary Irving Outstanding Advocate: Nicole Dibble Outstanding Educators: Lisa Vorwerk Outstanding Educators: Jeremy Lainer |
North Creek High School PTSA |
Golden Acorn: Karen Cohen Golden Acorn: Melissa Kline Outstanding Advocate: Saskia Mizushima Outstanding Educator: Christine Serica Outstanding Student Advocate: Jayden Lock |
Northshore Family Partnership PTSA at Bear Creek Campus |
Golden Acorn: Alynda Silcox Golden Acorn: Suzie Madsen-Kostopoulos Outstanding Advocate: Lauren Galloway Marantz Outstanding Advocate: Leslie Connor Outstanding Educator: Leslie Harwood Outstanding Educator: Todd Parker |
Shelton View Elementary PTA |
Golden Acorn: Lisa Groce Golden Acorn: Faustine Wiley Golden Acorn: Cheryl Whaley |
Sunrise Elementary PTA |
Golden Acorn: Shannyn Houtrouw Golden Apple: Sheri Padget |
Timbercrest Middle School PTSA |
Golden Acorn: Terri Kashi Outstanding Educator: Johnny Ho Outstanding Educator: Nikolas Gregg Outstanding Student Advocate: Ben Comer |
Wellington Elementary PTA |
Goden Acorn: Maryam Zarrabi - Worrell Outstanding Advocate: Diana Cherry Outstanding Educator: Jennifer Deskin Lifetime Award: Emily Williams Wellington Way Parent: Carol Bates Wellington Way Student: Ryan Bower |
Westhill Elementary PTSA |
Golden Acorn: Ericka Coleman Outstanding Educator: Noelle White Outstanding Educator: Sandra Lamb |
Woodin Elementary PTA |
Golden Acorn: Lorena Espinoza Outstanding Advocate: Theresa Cussac Outstanding Educator: Kirsten Jackson |
Woodinville High School PTSA |
Golden Acorn: Debi Niemi Golden Acorn: Lynn Smith |
Woodmoor Elementary PTSA |
Golden Acorn: Jill Benoit Golden Acorn: Jennifer Homes Golden Acorn: Amy Robinson Outstanding Educator: Ann Delano Outstanding Educator: Nycole Swearingen Outstanding Educator: Evelyn Romero Perez Outstanding Advocate: Kim Skrla Honorary Lifetime Membership: Sandy Hayes |
PTA is a membership-driven association. Sustaining and growing membership builds PTA's power as advocates and change makers not only in your own school community, but also at district, state, and national levels. WSPTA recognizes PTAs for their work growing membership as well as for achievements in membership. |
WSPTA Membership Awards in 2022-2023!!
Membership Achievement Awards
100% PTA Membership Award The 100% PTA Membership Award is presented to local PTAs that enroll at least as many members as there are full-time enrolled students at the school associated with that PTA. This is the ultimate achievement in PTA membership and recognizes that every child in the school community has a paid PTA member to be their voice.
| 100% Staff Membership Award The 100% Staff Membership Award is presented to local PTAs that enroll at least as many school staff members as there are full-time certificated employees at the school. This award recognizes the value of teachers and school staff as stakeholders advocating for all children through PTA.
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To highlight the importance of membership growth, Washington State PTA recognizes local PTAs for enrolling more members than they did in the previous year. As PTAs achieve incremental increases in membership growth, they are recognized for each milestone they reach.
- Bronze Award: recognizes local PTAs, in good standing, for enrolling at least one more member than their previous year’s total membership.
- Silver Award: recognizes local PTAs, in good standing, for enrolling PTA members equaling at least 105% of their previous year’s total membership.
- Gold Award: recognizes local PTAs, in good standing, for enrolling PTA members equaling at least 110% of their previous year’s total membership.
- Platinum Award: recognizes local PTAs, in good standing, for enrolling PTA members equaling at least 120% of their previous year’s total membership.
Questions? Contact Council's Membership Chair, Kim Ortiz.
Visit Northshore Council Membership Page
Awards work to celebrate the efforts of local PTAs and Councils in a variety of different areas. The criteria reflect a strong knowledge and application of best practices and the submission process can be rigorous. These awards are truly reflective of the dedication and strength of these PTAs and the powerful contributions they make to their communities.
This year's recipients included:
2022 - 2023 WSPTA Awards Recipients
Standards of Excellence for PTAs & Councils
Recognizing the effective use of WSPTA best practices as a guide for local PTAs and Councils to be child-focused, responsible to members, knowledgeable, fiscally responsible, involved, and well-trained.
Leadership Service Award
The purpose of this program is to recognize and acknowledge leadership skills attained by PTA leaders throughout all levels of the association
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Outstanding Communication Strategy
Recognizing the effective use of multiple communication channels to reach members and community.
Outstanding Newsletter Recognizing the effective use of newsletters as a communication tool.
Outstanding Website Recognizing the effective use of websites as a communication tool
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We would like to create a list of all of our local PTA award winners to share with the community. These volunteers deserve to be celebrated!!!
If possible, please let us know your award winners by Thursday, June 1st so they can be celebrated in our last eNews for this school year!
Learn more about local PTA/PTSA awards.
Questions? Email Jenn Snyder at [email protected].
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