2021 EDEF Teacher Excellence Awards

The El Dorado Education Foundation (EDEF) is pleased to announce each school’s finalists, semifinalists, and nominees for the 22nd Teacher Excellence Awards. For 2021, it was good to see how many nominations were received. The El Dorado School District truly has a large group of top-notch teachers working under unusual circumstances. For that, the foundation is most appreciative. EDEF is proud of all. Congratulations, and thank you! 


The Finalists for 2021 are: 

Elementary School: 

  • Leah Barbarotto, Hugh Goodwin
  • Leanne Barnett, Yocum
  • Madelyn Freer, Northwest

Middle/Junior High School: 

  • Calandra Brown, Barton
  • Deborah Guevara, Washington
  • Melissa Upchurch, Washington

High School: 

  • Clair Antoon, EHS
  • Pate Bauldree, EHS
  • Molly Rottman, EHS


The Semifinalists for 2021 are: 

Hugh Goodwin: Leah Barbarotto

Northwest: Madelyn Freer

Yocum: Leanne  Barnett

Washington Middle School:   Deborah Guevara, Ashley Johnson, and Melissa Upchurch. 

Barton Junior High School: Calandra Brown, Mary Hodnett, and Lisa Hooks.

El Dorado High School:  Clair Antoon, Pate Bauldree, LaPorsha Carter, Natalye Leake,  Aprile Richardson, and Molly Rottman. 


The Nominees for 2021 are: 

Hugh Goodwin: Kimberly Alexander, Leah Barbarotto, Anna Beth Blake, Joan  Cunningham, Kristen Davis, Missy Inman, Joely Jackson, Cristina Lee, Amy Lester, Lisa  Lewis, Linda McVay, Kelsey Moeller, Brooklyn Nesbitt, Lara Robbins, Claudia Stevenson,  and Amy Tucker.  

Northwest: Brooklyn Alexander, Hannah Brockwell, Cristal Coronado, Christy  Cranford, Madelyn Freer, Kim Fulmer, Mandy Kingery, Haley Moore, Janna Moree, Holly  Morgan, Amanda Strange, Brittany Thomas, and Cindy Walton.  

Yocum: Janell Aplin, Leanne Barnett, Jean Boerwinkle, Brooke Burger, Lauren  Dailey, Jamie Fife, Chrystal Gilkey, Stacy Gulick, Haley Holeman, Kim Ibert, Melissa  Laire, Lila Levingston, Shemekia Morgan, Casey Orr, Brittney Outlaw, Daniela Rivas,  Britini Robinson, Alie Shepherd, Leah Smith, Amber Welch, and Taylor Wells. 

Washington: Brinkley Aycock, Victoria Bennett, Courtney Canady, Shanvia Cole,  Melissa Colorigh, Olivia Fitzgerald, Rachael Gaven, Cathy Giles, Amanda Griffin, Deborah  Guevara, Leia Hickmott, Elizabeth Higgins, Ashley Johnson, Carson Lamb, Andrew  McDaniel, Sarika Mohandas, Mattie Motl, Anna Norris, Sarah Pasterniak, Tresa Rabchuk,  Sheila Russell, Katie Taylor, Hannah Traylor, Christina Turner, Melissa Upchurch, and Lori  Wilcox.  

Barton: Jeremy Atwell, Sally Baldwin, Natalie Bolick, Calandra Brown, Bailey  Camacho, Hayley Clark, Jamie Cupples, Hannah Davis, Derek Easter, Misty Freeman,  Mary Hodnett, Tyler Hodnett, Lisa Hooks, Heather Jennings, Alexis King, Adrian Knapper, Cannon Lester, Billy Major, Breanna McKnight, Jennifer Michaels, Michael Moris,  Dawson Moser, Tim Mullenax, and Heather Willis.  

EHS: Cameron Alexander, Carrie Allender, Clair Antoon, Morgan Atkins, Holly  Barnhill, Pate Bauldree, Alyssa Bean, Ty Bibby, Kyli Bingham, Charli Blair, Kris  Borovskis, Madison Campbell, LaPorsha Carter, Shelly Childers, Joseph Clark, Heather  Craig, Lauren Cross, Ashley Curtis, Elcy Easter, Shanice Easter, Shelley Forbess, Jessica  Freeman, Katy Gorden, Mason Guthrie, Katie Harwell, Jordan Hinson, Candi Jennings,  Jimmy Johnson, John Koonce, Natalye Leake, Jamie Lowe, Michelle Lyons, Susan Massey,  Neville Matthews, Bobbie McClellan, Brady McDuffie, Jennifer McGehee, Steven  Meitzler, Bill Meyer, Jennifer Michaels, Stephanie Moon, Savannah Morris, Matthew Nash,  Larry Newman, Greg Oden, Penny Owens, Angie Parker, Tabitha Patrick, Jackie Phillips,  Jimmy Porter, Sheri Rankin, Tim Ray, Anna Reynolds, Aprile Richardson, Molly Rottman,  John Sixbey,  Donnie Tank, Abbey Thomas, Ginger Welch, and Grace Wolfe.