CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 18, 2023) – Nine exceptionally creative teachers in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region have been recognized by the Arts & Science Council (ASC).

Three educators with distinguished careers of more than 15 years teaching art, science or history, or who have creatively infused arts, science or history into the core academic curriculum, and demonstrated school and community leadership and dedication to the field of education have been named recipients of ASC’s Cato Lifetime Achievement in Teaching Award. Each Lifetime Achievement recipient receives $5,000 and an original work of art.

Six creative teachers at any stage of their career who have distinguished themselves in teaching art, science or history, or who have demonstrated creative infusion of arts, science or history into the core academic curriculum, have been honored with ASC’s Cato Excellence in Teaching Awards. Each Excellence in Teaching Award recipient receives $1,500 and an original artwork.

“Creativity plays a crucial role in unlocking the potential in every student so they can become critical thinkers with the ability to evaluate complex issues and solve problems,” said ASC President Krista Terrell. “We are proud to join with The Cato Corporation to recognize these inspirational and innovative teachers who use arts, science and history to enrich the lives of students and improve their educational outcomes.”

The Lifetime Achievement in Teaching Award recipients are:

• Mark Brunton, Charlotte Latin School (history). Brunton’s vision of teaching history goes beyond an emphasis on the memorization of names, dates and events. He fuses literature and art into a fuller and deeper understanding of a time period. The culmination of his United States History class is a paper and presentation where each student must research a topic of their choosing that has had a lasting impact on American society, economy or culture.
• Cynthia Dey, Renaissance West STEAM Academy (science). Dey wears a science lab coat because she wants science to be seen as approachable. She also greets students and teachers in the hallway with a song, smile, arm bump or with a needed hug. During the early days of the Covid pandemic, Dey supported the immediate shifts in CMS elementary science by writing home do-able curriculum for teachers. When students returned to in-school learning, Dey upgraded her technology skills to create slide decks and voice recorded texts for elementary teachers.
• Jan Lauro, Community House Middle School (music). A veteran of 38 years, Lauro has taught every grade level, from pre-K to 12th grade. After receiving National Board certification, she served as a National Board facilitator for seven years for CMS music teachers and more than 50 music teachers earned their National Board certification under her guidance. As the choral and musical director at Community House Middle School, her musicals have spotlighted hundreds of talented students whose performances have been highlighted at the Broadway Jr. Festival in uptown Charlotte.

The Excellence in Teaching Award recipients are:

Arts

• O’Shae Best, Crestdale Middle School (Mecklenburg). The director of bands at Crestdale Middle, Best serves as the Fine Arts team lead, a mentor teacher and as lead teacher for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Professional Development Band Cadre. He also serves as the assistant artistic director of the Charlotte Pride Band.
• Stacey Boone, Jay M. Robinson Middle School (Mecklenburg). Boone has directed over 20 musicals and over 60 plays as the theatre arts teacher at Jay M. Robinson Middle, where she’s taught since 2002. Boone is a 2022 recipient of the North Carolina Theatre Conference (NCTC) Herman Middleton Distinguished Service Award and a past NCTC president.
• Crystal Briley, University Park Creative Arts Elementary School (Mecklenburg). Briley, a general music teacher, works with teachers individually and collaboratively to integrate music into the classroom. Outside of the classroom, she’s been a teaching artist in residence with Charlotte Symphony and is president of the Piedmont North Carolina Chapter of American Orff-Schulwerk Association.

Science

• Keith Burgess, Northridge Middle School (Mecklenburg). In addition to being a passionate middle grades science teacher, Burgess is the science department chair and the lead in his professional learning community. He is also a doctoral student working on his PhD in Urban Education. His research interest focuses on the participation of middle grades Black girls in STEM.
• Myra Tranquilino, Lincoln Charter School – Denver Campus (Lincoln). Tranquilino teaches AP and honors chemistry and honors earth and environmental science. She is also advisor of the Unified Champions for Kids with Disability and The Penguin Club. One of the highlights of her teaching career was being nominated by one of her students in 2014 for the Hamilton Teacher of the Year Award, which she won.

History

• Milagros Ugueto, Olympic High School (Mecklenburg). Ugueto, originally from Venezuela, moved to the U.S. from Ecuador in 2017 to teach world languages. She strives to create culturally responsive spaces in which teaching and learning takes place. Telling the stories of diasporic characteristics and listening to their own stories along with identifying folkloric and traditional manifestations, is a principle in her lessons.

Additionally, $300 awards were given to the seven finalists for the Lifetime Achievement in Teaching Award and the 11 finalists for the Excellence in Teaching Award. ASC received more than 70 nominations for these awards.

Lifetime Achievement in Teaching Award finalists are:

• Arts: Franchone Bey, West Charlotte High School (Mecklenburg); Chandra McCloud Glover, NorthWest School of the Arts (Mecklenburg); Arienne Hood, Providence Day School (Mecklenburg)
• Science: Kathy Bosiak, Lincolnton High School (Lincoln); Tina Heracklis, Gaston Day School (Gaston)
• History: Greg Lekavich, Gaston Day School (Gaston); Jennie Parker, Cox Mill Elementary (Cabarrus)

Excellence in Teaching Award finalists are:

• Arts: Emiko Faircloth, Chantilly Montessori School (Mecklenburg); Danielle Gaimari, Lake Norman High School (Iredell); Ryan Maloney, Charlotte Latin School (Mecklenburg); Morgan Osburn, West Charlotte High School (Mecklenburg); Jessica Rosa, Charlotte East Language Academy (Mecklenburg)
• Science: Nancy Bullard, Huntingtowne Farms Elementary School (Mecklenburg); Brian Harrison, Hickory Ridge High School (Cabarrus); Dianne Hawkins, Lincoln Charter School (Lincoln); Alicia Moss, JM Alexander Middle School (Mecklenburg)
• History: Tempestt Harrison, Mallard Creek High School (Mecklenburg); Bruce Schulman, Community House Middle School (Mecklenburg)

The awards are made possible through an endowment gift made to ASC from The Cato Corporation.

To be considered eligible for the award, individuals must be a Pre-K through 12th grade teacher working for a public or independent school in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln or Union counties in North Carolina, or Lancaster or York counties in South Carolina.

About ASC

ASC is the chief advocate, resource hub and steward for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region’s cultural community. Its core functions include advocacy, cultural education programs, cultural planning, fundraising, grant making, public art and workshops and trainings for the cultural community. ASC works to ensure Culture For All by combining resources from local and state government with those of the private sector to maximize community impact throughout the cultural sector.

ASC’s mission is investing in people, programs and ideas that move us to a more equitable, sustainable and innovative creative ecosystem. Stay up to date on ASC news and happenings at ArtsAndScience.org and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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