On Saturday, May 25, 2019, the Indy Chapter of the Indianapolis Black Expo held the 3rd Annual African-American Excellence in Education Awards at Martin University.  The Indy Chapter of the Indiana Black Expo (IBE) Education Committee Co-Chairs Marlon Llewellyn and Candace Pate sent a request to school districts, schools, and The Mind Trust to nominate black educators who possessed the following skills:

• passion and commitment to the teaching profession
• innovation and creativity in the classroom
• professional growth and development
• leadership in developing a positive school culture
• instructional leadership
• highly effective communication & collaboration skills
• positive community relations

Education Committee Co-Chair Marlon Llewellyn shared it was a rigorous selection process. In addition to the nomination, the nominator had to complete a form which included explaining how the nominee made an impact in the lives of staff, students, and the community that he or she served.  Selected educators were recognized with the Excellence in Education Award by receiving a congressional recognition from Congressman André D. Carson. A few educators also received a plaque for a specific Excellence in Education Award.

This program was birthed out of the heart of IBE Indy Chapter President Emil Ekiyor. Llewellyn shared, “He saw a need. All these excellent black educators are in our city and no one was taking the time out to thank them.”  Although Llewellyn is the Co-Chair of the Education Committee, he was skeptical about the awards at first. “I was previously nominated for this award. I was a principal at Tindley at the time. I didn’t show up. I didn’t see the value in it.” After he joined the IBE Indy Chapter, his viewpoint evolved.  “After I was recruited to join the chapter, I began to see the value. Now, as co-chair of the committee, Emil challenged us to take it to the next level. We want to take it to the national level.” 

A hope of the committee is this awards program is used as a model in other cities across the United States. Llewellyn said, “You have great black talent doing the work. They’re doing it in obscurity. Now, we have created a forum to celebrate them.”

Excellence in Education Journalism

Shawnta S. Barnes, The Educator’s Room & Indy K12

Excellence in Education Leadership

Dr. Shawn Smith, Superintendent, MSD of Lawrence Township

IBE Role Model of the Year

Tamara Markey, Pre-Engineering Teacher, McKenzie Center for Innovation and Technology in the MSD of Lawrence Township

Excellence in Education/Congressional Recognition

Andrew J. Brown Academy

James Hill, Principal

Cathedral High School

Ken Barlow, Vice President for Community Relations and Diversity

Emma Donnan Middle School

Clyde Smith, Special Education Lead

Emmerich Manual High School

Quincy Jones, Science Teacher

Monique Mays, Athletic Director

Indianapolis Public Schools

Teena Hicks, Administrative Associate, Butler Lab School #55

Flora Jones, Director of Post Secondary Readiness

Crissy Phillips, Interventionist, Butler Lab School #55

Jennifer Schaffer, School Counselor, Butler Lab School #60

Brandon Warren, Multi-Classroom Leader, William Penn #49

Irvington Community Schools

Randy Ballard, Dean of Students, Irvington Prep

Kindezi Academy

Shanae Andrews, Founding School Leader

KIPP Indy Public Schools

Brittany Crawford, Special Education Teacher, KIPP Indy College Prep

Lorena Stevenson, Kindergarten Co-Teacher, KIPP Indy Unite

Lighthouse Academies

Tramaine Williams, Teacher, Indianapolis Lighthouse Charter School

Marian Academy

Latoya Black, Principal

The Mind Trust

Alicia Hervey, Founding School Leader

Kim Neal, Founding School Leader

MSD of Lawrence Township

Candace Norley, Principal, Early Learning at Mary Castle

Tamara Markey, Pre-Engineering Teacher, McKenzie Center for Innovation & Technology

Jerome Omar Lahlou, Principal, Forest Glen Elementary

Dr. Shawn Smith, Superintendent

Keith Story, Academic Coach

MSD of Pike Township

Dorothy Gerve, Speech Pathologist, Eagle Creek Elementary

Diamond Hunter, Guidance Counselor, Pike High School

Breck Mosley, Special Education Teacher, Pike High School

Leiwana Taylor, Spanish Teacher, Pike High School

Ayana Wilson-Coles, Teacher, Eagle Creek Elementary

MSD of Warren Township

Tracey Bus, Academic Coach, Warren Central High School

Kristin Jones, Instructional Specialist, Grassy Creek Elementary

Jennifer Rogers, Teacher, Sunny Heights Elementary

Janie Smith, Principal, Lakeside Elementary

MSD of Washington Township

Byron Brown, Assistant Principal, North Central High School

LaTisha Frazier, Teacher/Field Experience Manager, Northview Middle School

MSD of Wayne Township

Shawnta S. Barnes, Library/Media Specialist, Westlake Elementary

Dennis Coins, Teacher, Ben Davis High School

Albert Coleman, Teacher & Work Based Learning Coordinator, Ben Davis University High School

Pennie Gregory, Assistant Director of Special Services

Dr. Dennisha Murff, Principal, Westlake Elementary

Shatara Smith, Assistant Principal, Robey Elementary

Paramount Schools of Excellence

Josh Adams, Dean, Paramount Brookside

Shelia Jones, Behavioral Counselor

Keith Thomas, Jr., Teacher, Paramount Brookside

Marquez Wynne, Assistant Dean of Discipline, Paramount Brookside

Perry Township Schools

Star Hardimon, Principal, Douglas McArthur Elementary Bethany Peterson-Gibson, Assistant Principal, Perry 6th Grade Academy

Providence Cristo Rey

Patrice Holmes, Academic Counselor

Fred Yeakey, Vice Principal

Purdue Polytechnic High School

Latrice Crawford, College & Career Coordinator

Ronni Moore, Science Coach

Keeanna Reid Warren, Founding School Leader

Speedway Schools

Howard Dorsey, Special Education Interventionist, Speedway High School

Trenton Borom, Director of Student Services, Speedway High School

Thomas Carr Howe High School

Tyrelle Collins, Math Teacher

Lloyd Knight, Principal

Tindley Schools

Marcel Bonds, Athletic Director

Aaron Mickens, Assistant Principal, Tindley Collegiate

Allen Mickens, Assistant Principal, Tindley Genesis 

Juanita Price, Kindergarten Teacher, Tindley Summit

Mia Richardson, Special Education Teacher, Tindley Renaissance

Ashya Thomas, Teacher

Tiara Willis, Kindergarten Teacher, Tindley Genesis 

Vanguard Collegiate

Alyssa McIntyre, Social Studies Teacher

Rosalie Pettigrew, Director of Curriculum & Instruction

Bobby Thomas, Math & Science Teacher