The STAND UP FOR JUSTICE Educator Grant recognizes High School, Middle School and Elementary school educators who are innovative in bringing respect for others’ differences into their activities with students in a transformative, impactful, and caring way. The goal is to create a resource for educators of any discipline to incorporate strategies that promote understanding and respect among students, countering bigotry and bullying. This grant recognizes teachers, school counselors, school librarians, media specialists, school psychologists, administrators etc.
Collier Educator Grant "Stand Up For Justice"
2026 Award Winners
Dylan Hacker, Seacrest Country Day School, for developing a comprehensive 8th-grade Holocaust education module that incorporates literature, theater, writing exercises and discussion groups with lessons on propaganda and extremism.
Kelly Joy Onanian, Seacrest Country Day School, created a 7th-grade curriculum in which student's self-reflections through literature foster empathy, kindness and compassion.
Monica Lorenz, Lavern Gaynor Elementary School, for creating a school-wide American Sign Language (ASL) student club to support classmates with auditory impairments.
Brent Brickzin, Palmetto Ridge High School, for the school-wide module "Voices, choices and justice," which encourages respect across religious, racial and ethnic identities.
Juniace Etienne, Palmetto Ridge High School, for creating lessons that promote increased cultural understanding through French literature
Tammy Simmons, New Beginnings-Naples, for an innovative elementary school curriculum that incorporates student reflections to promote greater tolerance and understanding.
Previous Recipient Submissions
2025 Award Winners
Linda Sexton and Julie Hayford of Naples High School, for creating a warm and welcoming library environment that teaches respect for diversity, counters bigotry and builds inclusion for all students.
Catherine Crawford, New Beginnings Naples and Beacon High School, received a pair of grants for her efforts involving student support and dropout prevention at these two locations. She was similarly honored in 2024.
Michael Daniels at East Naples Middle School for an innovative curriculum on an all-volunteer squad of World War II soldiers who were second generation Japanese Americans.
Jennifer Berning of Manatee Middle School, which under her leadership is the first Collier County secondary school to become a Leader in Me school, which fosters leadership, empathy and communication.
2024 Award Winners
Jory Lawson
Rachael Cordeiro
Kelly Crews-Stevenson & Carrey VanDyne
Jennifer Szczepkowski
Annina Cosentino
Lonzo Morgan
Catherine Crawford