Wheatland teacher first in school history
By Jason Arndt
Editor
Kandi Horton is not only the first Kohl Fellowship winner in Wheatland Center School history, but also the sole recipient of the award in Kenosha County for 2017.
The announcement, made in a March 15 news release, states Horton is one of 100 teachers throughout the state to receive the award from the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Scholarship, Fellowship and Leadership Program selection committee.
Along with 100 teachers, 16 principals and their schools receive an award of $3,000, the release reports.
“Fellowship recipients are educators who have been chosen for their superior ability to inspire a love of learning in their students, their ability to motivate others, and their leadership and service within and outside the classroom,” the release states.
Horton, a middle school teacher, said she is appreciative of the honor. She said the award is due to the collective dedication of the Wheatland School community.
“I am excited to shine light on the great things happening here at Wheatland,” she said in an email. “I want the award to represent the whole community, because our work can not be done by one person.”
Horton serves as the school’s primary teacher for PATHS Academy, a personalized learning opportunity for students in the seventh and eighth grade at Wheatland.
The process, she said, started with a nomination in October.
Following her nomination, Horton submitted three letters of recommendation, responses to six essay questions and an application form in November.
Upon judging by the regional Cooperative Educational Services Agency, her application went before a statewide selection committee.
The statewide committee, which includes representatives from education-related associations, consists of five co-sponsors.
Wheatland District Administrator Marty McGinley wrote in a news release the award is indicative of Horton’s dedication to teaching.
“I could not be more proud that Mrs. Horton has been honored by this prestigious award,” McGinley said. “The Kohl Fellowship is the gold standard for teacher recognition in the State of Wisconsin and the honor is well deserved. The rest of Wisconsin is learning what we at Wheatland have know for a long time, Kandi Horton is an excellent teacher.”
Horton is scheduled to receive her award at an April 29 ceremony at Middleton High School.
Although Horton is the first, she believes her colleagues can also earn the honor, based on the dedication they have for teaching.
“It takes a ‘village with a vision’ to do the work we do each and every day for students,” she said. “It is nice to be recognized for the hard work and effort put in every day, and I know that there will be more excellent teachers from Wheatland who will be recognized for their work in the future.”
Co-sponsors of the award are the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools, regional Cooperative Educational Service Agencies, and the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators.