Nurture. Educate. Inspire (NEI) Awards

Overview

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is excited to announce the launch of the Nurture. Educate. Inspire. (NEI) Awards for the 2025–26 school year. This reimagined awards program, formerly known as the VIP Awards, reflects the values of the new 2030 Strategic Plan and honors outstanding employees who embody the ACPS mission each day. The NEI Awards recognize staff members across all levels of employment who make a meaningful difference in the lives of students, colleagues, and the community. Throughout the year, ACPS highlights employees among four categories as a way to honor those who stand out for their dedication and achievement. This initiative operates in conjunction with the annual ACPS Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year awards to ensure a comprehensive employee recognition program. Principals and teachers are not eligible for the Nurture. Educate. Inspire. Awards since they are recognized through those separate programs.

2025-26 NEI Award Nominations

Beginning Fri., Sept. 5, 2025, ACPS will open the nomination process for ACPS staff to recommend colleagues who they feel display qualities that Nurture, Educate and Inspire others, in their daily work and have a positive impact at ACPS.

NEI Awards nOMINATION fORM

Nomination Criteria

Nominees must be a current ACPS employee.
Nominees demonstrate qualities that Nurture, Educate and Inspire others.
Nominations are accepted from any individual or group employed by the division.
Any employee who has received a NEI (previously known as the VIP awards) previously is not eligible for a 2025-26 NEI award (list of previous recipients can be found below).
Principals and teachers cannot be nominated for an NEI Award, as they are eligible to be nominated for the Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year Awards.

Application Information

Nomination Categories & Deadlines

Sept. 5 - sept. 26, 2025: leadershiP

This includes all Central office and building level administration. NEI award recipients in this category will be recognized at the Nov. 6, 2025, School Board meeting.

Jan. 23 - feb. 13, 2026: Transportation, Nutrition Services, Building Engineers and custodial services

This includes: transportation staff, maintenance/building engineers, custodial staff and nutrition services employees. NEI award recipients in this category will be recognized at the March 26, 2026, School Board meeting.

NOV. 7 - Dec. 5, 2025: Support staff

This includes Central office support, building-level support, administrative assistants, instructional assistants, ACPS monitors and school security monitors. NEI award recipients in this category will be recognized at the Jan. 22, 2026, School Board meeting.

March 27 - april 10, 2026: Licensed Specialists

This includes: psychologists, diagnosticians, nurses, therapists, counselors, social workers, athletic trainers and technology integration specialists. NEI award recipients in this category will be recognized at the May 28, 2026, School Board meeting.

Previous NEI Award Recipients

Leadership Staff

Marcella Ahern, Charles Barrett Elementary School, assistant principal (2022-23).
Gladis Bourdouane, Department of School & Community Relations, assistant director of communications (2022-23).
Michael Burch, Alexandria City High School- King Street Campus, lead administrator for operations and student support (2023-24).
Michael Covington, Department of Financial Services, director of accounting (2023-24).
Paul George, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, assistant principal (2024-25).
Dr. Tricia Jacobs, Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership, director of career and technical education (2022-23).
MeChale' Johnson, Department of Facilities and Operations, director of pupil transportation and fleet management (2023-24).
Molly McCabe, Early Childhood Center, assistant principal (2023-24).
Jodie Peters, Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership, AVID District Director/College Support (2024-25).
Rebecca Pittman, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, assistant principal (2022-23).
Carmen Sanders, Alexandria City High School- King Street Campus, campus administrator (2021-22).
Christopher Speich, campus administrator at Alexandria City High School (2022-23).
Christopher Thompson, Alexandria City High School- King Street Campus, administrator for instruction and student support (2021-22).
Taneika Taylor Tukan, Department of School & Community Relations, executive director of community partnerships & engagement (2024-25).
Dr. Jennifer Whitson, Department of Accountability & Research, evaluation & assessment analyst (2024-25).

Support Staff

Regina Benavides, Mount Vernon Community School, administrative assistant (2024-25).
Jacqueline Claros, Alexandria City High-School Minnie Howard Campus, administrative assistant (2024-25).
Vanessa Duenas, Department of Facilities and Operations, administrative assistant (2023-24).
Victor Espinosa Sanchez, Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership, language access manager (2023-24).
Kadysia Gibson, Patrick Henry K-8 School, registrar (2021-22).
Johnny Grados, George Washington Middle School, campus manager (2024-25).
Andrae Jones, Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology, special education instructional assistant (2023-24).
Joseph Jenkins, Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership, textbook services assistant (2024-25).
Casonja Lee, Alexandria City High School-King Street Campus, administrative specialist (2022-23).
Jennifer Martinez, Charles Barrett Elementary School, administrative assistant (2021-22).
Maria Portillo, Alexandria City High School-King Street Campus, security officer (2022-23).
Natlie Riley, Department of Technology Services, division-wide technology integration specialist (2023-24).
Jenny Rodriguez, Department of Accountability & Research, executive assistant (2024-25).
Linda Rodriguez, ACPS Office of Community Partnerships and Engagement, administrative specialist (2022-23).
Anna Spratt, Naomi Brooks Elementary School, paraprofessional (2021-22).
Sheree Stephens, Alexandria City High School-Satellite Campus, administrative specialist (2022-23).
Andrea Styles, Alexandria City High School-King Street Campus, instructional assistant II (2021-22).
Brian Tolliver, Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School, special education instructional assistant (2023-24).
Desiree White, Patrick Henry K-8 School, family liaison (2024-25).
Betel Yosef, Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership, division-wide Virginia Preschool Initiative administrative assistant/registrar (2023-24).

Transportation, Nutrition Services, Building Engineers and Custodial Services

Monya Baldwin, Department of Facilities and Operations, specialized transportation coordinator (2022-23).
Abel Hernandez, Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy, custodian (2021-22).
Mike Knight, Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School, custodian (2021-22).
Stephen Letsu, George Washington Middle School, building engineer (2024-25).
Todd Moldenhauer, Early Childhood Center & John Adams Elementary School, building engineer (2024-25).
Wilberto Pena, Charles Barrett Elementary School, building engineer (2024-25).
Dennis Payne, Charles Barrett Elementary School, bus driver (2023-24).
Laura Purdy, Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy, cafeteria food service manager (2022-23).
Joshua Rivera, Alexandria City High School King Street Campus, operations supervisor (2024-25).
William Sharpe, Alexandria City High School Minnie Howard Campus, building engineer (2023-24).
Jason Tepper, division-wide executive chef (2023-24).
Jakeeya Veney, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, food and nutrition services manager (2023-24).
Keisha Wilson, Francis C. Hammond Middle School and James K. Polk Elementary School, bus driver (2023-24).
Johnetta Wilhoit, Francis C. Hammond Middle School and James K. Polk Elementary School, bus driver (2023-24).
Mario Yach, Alexandria City High School- King Street Campus, building engineer (2022-23)

Licensed Specialists

Chanel Alford-Campbell, Francis C. Hammond Middle School, technology integration specialist (2021-22).
Jessica Angelo, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, academic interventionist (2023-24).
Dr. Jennifer Browne, physical therapist, William Ramsay Elementary School (2022-23).
Laina DiMento, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, school psychologist (2024-25).
Julie Frederickson, Alexandria City High School-King Street Campus, school nurse (2022-23).
Anna Harvin, Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School, Project Guided Language Acquisition Design/Instruction (GLAD) specialist (2022-23).
Andrea Heckel, Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School, literacy instructional coach (2021-22).
Jacquelyn Lusk, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, social worker (2023-24).
Donna Marsh, Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School, child find specialist (2022-23).
Shannon McLaughlin, Early Childhood Center, speech pathologist (2023-24).
Kathryn Pattarini, George Washington Middle School, technology integration specialist (2022-23).
Laura Prince, division-wide secondary science instructional specialist (2024-25).
Janet Reese, division-wide parent support specialist (2023-24).
Maureen Selgas, Alexandria City High School Minnie Howard Campus, literacy instructional coach (2021-22).
Christina Trozzi, Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology, counselor (2021-22).
Olinka Turner, Alexandria City High School King Street Campus, special education accountability specialist (2024-25).
Sarah Whelan, division-wide social studies curriculum & instruction specialist (2024-25).

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