Posted: 5/18/2024

Exemplary Palm Beach County educators received high honors at the 40th annual William T. Dwyer Awards for Excellence in Education. Accolades and prizes are given each year by the Economic Council of Palm Beach County. For the second year in a row, all finalists were from the School District of Palm Beach County. 

The Dwyer Awards recognize teachers from public and private schools in Palm Beach County. The program seeks to increase awareness of exemplary teaching in the community, while supporting educators and schools with financial awards and encouraging residents to promote high standards of excellence in education.

Applicants are judged on their classroom accomplishments, personal education philosophy, leadership, and outside of the classroom school-related or community-based activities. Judges, comprised of nearly 100 Palm Beach County business leaders, evaluate each application in multiple rounds, and narrow down the applications to 28 finalists. From those finalists, seven winners are selected. 

The Dwyer awards are sponsored by the Economic Council of Palm Beach County Foundation and presented by the Hanley Foundation.

Congratulations to the 2024 Dwyer Award winners:

Early Elementary Education Award

• Nathalee English - Liberty Park Elementary School

Elementary Education Award

• Lois Gray - Seminole Trails Elementary School

Middle School Education Award

• Shakendra Moorer - Bak Middle School of the Arts

Senior High Education Award

• Kimberly Coyle - Olympic Heights High School

STEM Education Award

• Claudia Chavarria - Pioneer Park Elementary School

Exceptional Education Award

• Jessica Maharrey - Palm Springs Middle School

Student Support and Advancement Award

• Janell Leatherman - Emerald Cove Middle School