1. Rebecca Reid, Busch Wildlife
Rebecca Reid has served as the Education Director at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, a nonprofit dedicated to the protection and conservation of Florida’s native wildlife and natural resources, for over 8 years. Ms. Reid leads a team of educators and volunteers who welcomed nearly 12,000 schoolchildren to the Sanctuary last school year. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences from Florida Atlantic University a Master’s Certificate in Environmental Education, and is a Florida Master Naturalist.
As the Director of Education, Ms. Reid oversees more than 600 educational programs on-site annually, private youth and adult Sanctuary tours, off-site outreach programs, after-school naturalist programs for children aged 5-14, and more. Students from all corners of Florida embark on field trips to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary to enrich their curriculum. Ms. Reid’s impact extends nationwide, too, instilling knowledge in every visitor to the Sanctuary partaking in this free programming.
Many of these programs curated by Ms. Reid provide environmental education to minority and economically disadvantaged students through grant-funded partnerships with Title 1 schools and Spanish Language Outreach Programs. Last school year, the Sanctuary served over 2,500 disadvantaged students through its education programs. By providing these programs free of charge, Ms. Reid ensures unrestricted access to individuals from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and those who might otherwise miss the opportunity to learn about environmental stewardship.
Through dedicated and passionate educators like Ms. Reid, the next generation can continue to make a tangible difference in the community and aspire to better preserve our natural resources.”
2. Leslee Scruggs, American Heritage Schools
As the new school year quickly approaches, I will begin the 20th teaching year of my career, and my 10th year at American Heritage Palm Beach in the Science Department. In 2003, I graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Brain Research from Nova Southeastern University. In 2013 I joined a cohort of teachers on a year-long commitment to earn a STEM certification through the University of Florida. Over half of my career has been spent dedicating my studies to all branches of Science. My current position is in the Science Engineering Lab teaching Pre-K -5th grade students. Keeping lessons fresh, innovative, meaningful and fun ensures that the students and I are in sync making learning more impactful.
In 2023, I helped create an outdoor Environmental Education Center. The student gardens allow for investigations, research and citizen science projects that not only connect students to nature and the food they grow, but also benefit their mental well being.
My passion for education goes beyond lab time. After school, you will find me running a Robotics enrichment class, advising the Everglades Student Ambassadors Club, mentoring science fair projects or coaching our Science Olympiad award-winning teams. Annually, I coordinate Family Science Night showcasing the Science Fair and an interactive, collaborative Nature Week during April. This year, I organized the 1st Annual 5K Run For The Everglades. In addition to benefiting the Everglades Foundation, this run connected students and their families with the environment and our community. I am honored to do what I do everyday- I see it as an investment in our future!
3. Vonda Rushing, Pioneer Park Elementary
My name is Vonda Rushing, and I am a highly accomplished elementary educator with over three decades of classroom experience. Currently, I serve as a mathematics instructor at Pioneer Park Elementary School.
My decision to pursue a career in teaching was profoundly influenced by my mother’s dedication to education. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and a Specialist Degree in Curriculum and Teaching.
Over the course of my career, I have been recognized with nominations for the prestigious Dwyer Award. Additionally, I have contributed as a team leader, member of the leadership team, school improvement team, and a clinical educator mentoring future teachers. My commitment to lifelong learning and education is unwavering, and I strive to inspire a similar commitment in all my students. My greatest passion lies in assisting students in reaching their academic and personal aspirations. I firmly believe that cultivating positive relationships with students, families, and communities is essential to fostering educational success.
4. Amber Schullstrom, The Greene School
Amber Schullstrom, an inaugural teacher at The Greene School, founded the visual arts department nurturing its growth from 40 to over 200 students. Her deep knowledge of art history enriches the curriculum, inspiring even the youngest of students. Children as young as 5 years old can be heard discussing artists from Van Gogh to Kandinsky to Kusama. Through her nurturing guidance, students freely express themselves, building confidence and discovering their artistic voices. Amber’s annual interactive art showcase exemplifies her belief in teamwork and creativity, showcasing student talent and artistic growth each year. Through student-led immersive experiences, the community creates collaborative artwork that highlights the varying artists and techniques students learned that year.
Before joining The Greene School, Amber dedicated over a decade to the South Olive Pixie Program, where she instilled creativity and compassion in preschoolers. She also founded Petite Picassos, a renowned children’s art studio in West Palm Beach. Petite Picassos was voted Best Children’s Art Studio by South Florida Parenting Magazine. Her commitment to education also earned her a Teacher of the Year nomination in the Atlanta Public School System.
5. Marcus Grant, The Batt School
I am Marcus Grant, a dedicated educator at The Batt School for the last 7 years, a Graphic Design Director at Hibiscus Center Vero Beach since 2018, and the owner of Marcus Grant Design and Creations. I am passionate about working with children and emphasize the importance of achieving small wins that contribute to larger goals. My primary teaching method involves fostering critical thinking skills to help students navigate through problems and projects effectively. My next step is to take my skills and work with colleges to help develop the next generation of talented youth.
6. Andrew Johnson, Oxbridge Academy
Dr. Johnson joined Oxbridge in 2017 after teaching introductory and upper-division physics at the University of New Mexico and the Florida Atlantic University Honors College. He is a trained theoretical and computational physicist who has worked in academia and industry, including at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, NextEra Energy Resources, and the Max Planck Florida Institute. As a high school teacher for the past six years, Dr. Johnson has developed original curricula and adapted existing ones for on-level and honors ninth-grade physics, calculus-based physics (Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism), as well as a new class in Introductory Modern Physics (Special Relativity and Quantum Mechanics), and Mathematical Modeling and Artificial Intelligence (including Machine Learning) for high school students. Dr. Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics from the University of Colorado and a Doctorate in Applied Physics from the Colorado School of Mines.
