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Date: 4/7/2022
AGAWAM — Five Agawam teachers, selected by their peers and administrators, will receive a prestigious award next month for their exceptional teaching skills.
Michael Costello, a first-year teacher, and Jillian Despard, Sable Johnson, Jahnna Kazak, and Caitlyn Powers, all veteran teachers, were chosen from among 36 Agawam teachers nominated for the 2022 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Awards.
Their awards will be presented at a gala celebration the evening of May 11 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. They will be recognized for their outstanding teaching as well as their impact on students, colleagues and schools.
The award — which seeks to motivate teachers at all stages of their careers to aspire to excellence — is a partnership of the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation and the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation. More than 1,000 teachers from Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties have been recognized since the program began in 2003.
All awardees will receive $250 for personal use, an engraved plaque, three-month memberships at six regional YMCAs and the Jewish Community Center, a membership in WGBY public television, and access to thousands of digital education resources.
Additionally, they will receive tuition incentives and scholarships offered by seven major colleges and universities in the region. All 2022 winners are invited to submit a project idea to win a Classroom Innovator Prize of $250. Up to 30 prizes will be awarded.
Jillian Despard
Doering School special education teacher Jillian Despard creates a physical and emotional classroom environment where her special education students can thrive.
“I love being able to give students a safe, caring environment where they feel accepted and comfortable enough to take risks, make mistakes and grow from them every day,” said Despard. She transferred to Doering’s Connections program three years ago after teaching sixth grade at the school for five years. Despard made the change because of her commitment to social-emotional learning.
“I love helping students realize their potential and seeing their self-confidence grow,” she said.
A lifelong Agawam resident, several of Despard’s own teachers inspired her to become a teacher.
“Teachers are nothing short of extraordinary. Nobody else truly understands what it takes to be an effective teacher,” she said. “For a group of people to recognize our hard work and dedication feels amazing. It feels like we’re seen and appreciated.”
She will use the $250 to buy picture books for her classroom library so she can read books aloud to her students every day. Despard said picture books, even at the middle-school level, can help teach students key concepts, while keeping them engaged.
Sable Johnson
Sable Johnson — who teaches a range of Agawam High School students from AP English to creative writing — enjoys getting to know all her students.
“They keep me current and challenge me to make sure my approach to teaching is entertaining and innovative,” said Johnson, who has been teaching English at AHS since 2010. “I love seeing them in their sophomore year and then having them in class as seniors. They mature and become more confident in who they are as people — it’s amazing to see.”
Inspired by her own high school English teacher, Johnson said she was in “disbelief” when she learned about her award. She added while the award was “humbling,” the accomplishments of her students — from a shy girl who finally contributed to discussions or a boy who didn’t think he was good at English getting a high-scoring essay — are what she likes to celebrate as a teacher.
Johnson said the award is significant to her — and the teaching profession — because of the “scrutiny” educators have been under lately.
“It’s important to remind the community that there are so many of us who truly love our jobs, who have a vested interest in the success of our students.”
Jahnna Kazak
Jahnna Kazak creates lessons that engage students in learning, and she genuinely loves seeing her students “get it.”
Kazak has been an Agawam teacher since 2005 — first as a one-year substitute English teacher at the high school, and then teaching seventh and eighth grade English at Agawam Junior High School since 2006. It’s heartening to her when students look back at their work from the beginning of the year, especially in the area of writing, and see their growth and development, and feel pride in their work: “That’s pretty special.”
Before coming to Agawam, she taught at a private school and had a brief banking career. When the opportunity at AHS opened up, she jumped at the chance to follow in her father’s and grandmother’s career footsteps. It was “very emotional and special” for her upon learning she would receive the award.
Despite the demands placed on her and other teachers during the pandemic, Kazak said it was one of her proudest teaching moments.
“I built bonds with students and coworkers as we worked together to learn and grow through the challenges. I’ve received letters from a few of my students from last year who are now in high school. Their words meant so much to me.”
Caitlyn Powers
Caitlyn Powers has been called the “Kindergarten Whisper” for the calming manner in which she speaks to her Granger School pupils.
She picked up this approach during an undergraduate pre-practicum. Powers said the teacher whose classroom she joined was calm and patient, and supported every student academically, socially, and emotionally.
“It was something I admired and still try to practice to this day,” Powers said.
She starts each day with a fresh and positive mindset to create a positive classroom environment for her students.
“I love being in the classroom with my students. Kindergarten is such a special place,” said Powers, who has been at Granger School since she started teaching in 2010.
“My students are always so excited to come in and learn new things. I love watching them mature, build friendships, and become more independent each day. I love the ‘aha’ moment when a student achieves something he/she has been working so hard on.”
Powers said she felt “incredibly honored” that her kindergarten team nominated her for this “significant” award.
“I work with an incredible team of teachers who have supported me and taught me so much,” she said.
Michael Costello
Agawam Junior High School science teacher Michael Costello always strives for excellence and holds himself and his students to the highest standards.
“I’ve always had a passion for sharing my ideas and teaching others through my actions,” said Costello, who is in his first year as a full-time teacher in Agawam. He had planned a medical career, but in the middle of graduate school, his passion changed from caring for people medically to making a difference teaching the science knowledge he had acquired.
“Having the ability to challenge all types of students, through their observations and critical thinking skills to learn more about science in everyday life, is my core teaching philosophy,” he explained. Costello added that the best part of being a teacher is the ability to make a positive difference in student lives during a very challenging and vulnerable stage in their youth.
When Costello realized he was the recipient of the award, he was “full of excitement and gratitude.” What makes the award even more special is that Kazak — his former seventh grade English teacher — is also one of Agawam’s awardees this year. Their classrooms are just several feet apart.