MI PTA Council Awards
PTA Council rewards outstanding volunteers, educators, or committees for their creativity, innovation, dedication, and amazing work for our school communities. Let’s show our volunteers and educators how much we appreciate them!
Nomination Closed
Past Awards Recipients
Golden Acorn
A Golden Acorn Award is presented, by a local PTA unit or council, to a volunteer in recognition of his/her dedication and service to children and youth. It is to recognize volunteer service “above and beyond” a particular job description. Since the beginning of this program, more than 44,000 Golden Acorns have been presented to volunteers throughout Washington State. A contribution in the name of the recipient(s) is made by the honoring PTA to the Washington State PTA Scholarship Program. From these contributions, WSPTA is able to provide grants to freshman students entering post-secondary education.
1984 | Dr. Craig Currie |
1985 | Ruth Hansing |
1987 | Chris Haaland |
1988 | Alanna Burdell Ginnie DeForest |
1989 | Mary Ann Hansen Kathy Oaklief |
1990 | Terry Ackley Linda Summers |
1991 | Mary Margaret Welch Judy Witmer |
1992 | Brenda Paull Terry Pottmeyer |
1994 | Tami Szerlip |
1996 | Terry Pottmeyer Frank Morrison |
1998 | Debbie Dowd |
1999 | Beth Larson Loken |
2000 | Roger Page |
2002 | Mary Jo Bruckner Penny Yantis |
2003 | Cheryl Frizzell Carol Siebert |
2004 | Jenny Selby |
2006 | Lori Brennan Ralph Allen Janet Frohnmayer |
2007 | Judy Chase |
2008 | Toby Suhm Carol Danielson |
2009 | Kathy Reitinger Mary Kay Woolston |
2010 | Anne Emmanuels |
2011 | Jennifer McLellan |
2012 | Beth Picardo Toby Suhm |
2013 | Jackie Brown Marnie MacDiarmid |
2014 | Ivy Suzuki-Jaecks Susan Empey Suzanne Riley |
2015 | Pat Braman |
2016 | Karla Olson |
2017 | Amy Sagerson |
2018 | Debbie Hanson |
2019 | Anne Hritzay |
2020 | Stephanie Kornblum |
2021 | Jennifer Selby, Kristy Sieckhaus |
2022 | Debbie Burke, Amy Richter |
2023 | Carol Kuo |
2024 | Kirsten Duell, Julie Hsieh |
Outstanding Educator
Created by the WSPTA to recognize individuals who go beyond the normal expectations of their jobs to make the learning environment fun, beneficial and challenging. A contribution is made in their name to the WSPTA Scholarship Program.
2001 | Judith Murdock John Cameron |
2003 | Nancy Emerson |
2005 | David Bentley |
2007 | Thelma Ritchie |
2008 | Parker Bixby |
2009 | Jan Sayers |
2010 | David Segadeli |
2011 | Mark Headlee |
2012 | Susan Hamp |
2013 | Kathy Morrison |
2014 | Donna Johnston |
2015 | Gail Calvo |
2016 | Jan Vetter |
2017 | Ryan Lane |
2018 | Tom Cox Vickie White-Miltun |
2019 | Carol Krell |
2020 | Angela McCann |
2021 | Mary Jo Budzius/Aaron Miller Chris Cocklin-Ray |
2022 | Joe Bryant, MIHS David Hoffman, Island Park |
2023 | David Baxter, West Mercer Heather McLyman, Lakeridge |
2024 |
Claudia Allard, Lakeridge John Stafford, MIHS |
Outstanding Advocate
Established by the WSPTA to recognize and honor individuals for their advocacy work on behalf of children and youth. A contribution is made in their name to the WSPTA Scholarship Program.
2006 | Pat Braman |
2007 | Dorothy Swartz |
2008 | Stowe Sprague |
2009 | Bruce Bassett |
2010 | Aleta Finnila |
2011 | Judy Chase |
2012 | Dr. Nancy Loorem |
2013 | Pat Turner |
2014 | Ralph Jorgenson |
2015 | Rev. Wayve Perryman |
2017 | Alison Stovall |
2018 | Nancy Weil |
2019 | Gwen Loosmore Gun Violence Prevention Subcommittee |
2020 | Cynthia Goodwin |
2021 | Karla Rimmer, Kyle McKenna/Nick Wold |
2022 | Donna Colossi, Tanya Aggar |
2023 | Jennifer Flood |
Children’s Advocate
Established to recognize individuals or programs that go above and beyond the scope of their job or expectations to serve Mercer Island students.
2005 | Autism Spectrum Committee |
2007 | Health/Wellness Committee |
2010 | Art Munoz |
2013 | Bill Harris |
2014 | Fred Rundle Jennifer Wright |
2015 | Pat Braman Janet Frohnmayer Brian Emanuels |
2016 | Social Emotional Mental Health Counseling Team |
2017 | Dean MackGary Plano |
2018 | Derek Franklin |
2019 | Michael Neff |
2020 | Andreeves Ronser, Director of Information Technology, MI School District |
2021 | Carol Bus |
2022 | MISD Nurses MIYFS School-Based Counselors |
2023 | Kelly John-Lewis, MIHS Special Services and Learning Differences Committee |
2024 |
Nicole Nelson Jaymee Lundin |
Outstanding Service
The Outstanding Service Award is presented to a volunteer who works for children and youth beyond the bounds of a job, PTA, or a specific school community. This honor goes to a person who has shown concern for all children and who has volunteered his/her time to help them achieve their potential. A contribution in the name of the recipient is made to the Washington State PTA Scholarship Program.
1982 | Linda Friend |
1983 | Flossie McNally |
1984 | Sara Coit |
1985 | Judy Gropp |
1986 | Judy Ginn |
1987 | Terry Moreman |
1988 | Linda Weathers |
1989 | Susan Kaplan |
1990 | Kathy Merchant |
1991 | Cynthia Petria |
1992 | Suzanne Erickson Sharon Peabody |
1993 | Terry Pttmeyer |
1994 | Beth Boylan |
1995 | Jan Seetin Diane Tomita |
1996 | Tami Szerlip |
1997 | Barbara Shepard |
1998 | Judy Slepvan Linda Todd |
2000 | Lance Davenport |
2003 | Mike Ziara Eugene Ferguson |
2004 | Myra Lupton |
2006 | Terri Caditz Joan Hibbs |
2007 | Ken Glass |
2008 |
Terry Pottmeyer |
2010 | Gary Plano Nannette Bassett |
2011 | Penny Yantis |
2012 | Andy Anderson |
2013 | Becky Shaddle MI Boys & Girls Club |
2014 | Betsy O’Connell |
2015 | Tani Lindquist |
2016 | Cindy Goetzmann |
2017 | Kathy Middleton |
2018 | Jennifer Wright |
2019 | Libby Wotipka |
2020 | Paulette Denman |
2021 | Michelle Ritter Tammy Heydon |
2022 | Kathy McDonald Lori Cohen-Sandford |
2023 | Angela Bahng Sophy Yang |
2024 | Shelly Hirschowitz Laura Oberto |
Outstanding Program
Honors a program designed and implemented to serve the school community or community at large.
2004 | Parent Ed Committee (Parent Edge) |
2005 | PTA Reflections – Carol Goetschel |
2009 | Island Park Recess Program |
2010 | Bridge the Gap Task Force |
2011 | Mercer Island School District Green Team |
2012 | PTA Editors |
2013 | PTA Reflections – Ivy Suzuki-Jaecks |
2015 | MI PTA Communications Team |
2016 | MISD Academic Counseling Departments |
2018 | Lakeridge K-Kids Club |
2019 | PTA Reflections – Jocelyn Barber & Sharon Brown |
2020 | Tony Kuhn, MI School District Facilities Department and MI High School International Entrepreneurship Class |
2021 | MISD Instructional Coaches |
2022 | Unified Sports Parent Edge |
2023 | Destination Imagination |
2024 | Mercer Island Bands |
MI Community Partner
The Mercer Island PTA Council created the Community Partner award to recognize a local Island business or organization that goes above and beyond standard expectations to help and facilitate local units, that helps build a cooperative relationship between students, schools, and community.
2004 | Island Books Sahara Pizza |
2005 | Washington Mutual Starbucks |
2007 | Farmer’s Insurance MI Recycling Center |
2008 | MI Pediatric Associates Albertsons |
2009 | MI Boys and Girls Club |
2010 | Kurt & Leslie Dammeier |
2011 | MI Education Association |
2012 | Committee for MI Public Schools |
2013 | MI Youth & Family Services |
2014 | Youth Theater Northwest |
2015 | MISD Bus Education Prog. |
2016 | Island Books |
2017 | MIYFS Communities That Care/Healthy Youth |
2018 | MI Police Department MI Public Library – Carrie Bowman |
2019 | Pagliacci Pizza |
2020 | Mercer Island Youth and Family Services |
2021 | Island Books |
2022 | MI Martial Arts |
2023 | Mercer Island Preschool Association |
2024 | Starbucks |
Honorary Life Membership
The purpose of the Honorary Life Membership is to recognize an individual who has contributed significantly to a PTA at the local unit, council, or state level. This award can be given by a PTA unit, council, or region.
2005 | Tammi Szerlip |
2007 | Barb Shephard |
2008 | Nancy Schaps |
2009 | Terri Caditz |
2010 | Leslie Ferrell |
2011 | Annie Zilz |
2012 | Sue Bennett |
2014 | Mary Kay Woolston |
2015 | Toby Suhm, Diane Johnson |
2016 | Jayme Witman |
2019 | Debbie Hanson Jennifer McLellan |
2020 | Jackie Brown |
2021 | Julie Ogata Ciobanu Ivy Suzuki-Jaeks |
2022 |
Stephanie Parmenter |
2023 |
Elizabeth Evans |
2024 |
Nancy Weil |
MI Community Scholarship Program
Our ability to honor deserving MIHS seniors depends on the generosity of our community. Learn more about the scholarship program and how your contribution can make a difference. We appreciate donations of any amount. Thank you for your support!