Teacher wins a year's rent/mortgage

The OnPoint has announced the three winners of the 2022 Educator of the Year Award who will have their mortgage or rent paid for an entire year and receive $2,500 for their school:

The winners are Jennifer Krebs, a kindergarten teacher at Marcola Elementary School; Emmanuel Aquino, an 8th grade English - Spanish immersion teacher at Beaumont Middle School in Portland; and Jesse Bolt, a 9th to 12th grade English, reading intervention, and braille teacher at the Washington State School for the Blind in Vancouver.

OnPoint Community Credit Union’s esteemed Educator of the Year winners will each have their mortgage or rent paid for one full year. Additionally, their schools will receive a $2,500 donation for resources and supplies. Runners up will each receive a $5,000 cash award plus an additional $1,500 to their schools for resources and supplies.

In announcing Jennifer Kreb’s selection, the award committee referenced her, “unique curriculum and passion for ensuring students are ready for their next step in education. She propelled half her Kindergarteners to a first-grade reading level in the first five months of school.”

Krebs’ secret to success, they said, is creating individualized lesson plans rather than teaching the entire class at once. “Krebs makes learning engaging and fun through songs, props, movement, and storytelling. She also teaches financial literacy to her students, understanding the importance of engaging children at a young age about money management,” the added.

Her approach was so successful that Marcola School District’s Superintendent asked her to assist in developing a preschool program for their elementary school. She also serves as a teacher mentor and supervisor to new teachers.

Krebs feels called to walk alongside her Kindergartners, helping them discover who they are, what brings them joy, and how to learn and build relationships.

Other teachers gaining recognition included Carissa Shrout, the K-5 Runner-up from Quatama Elementary School in Hillsboro; Carrie Scaife 6th to 8th-grade Runner-up, of the Cedar Ridge Middle School in Sandy,;and Jason Galbraith, 9-12 Runner-up, of Sunset High School in Beaverton. They will all receive a $5,000 cash award plus an additional $1,500 to their schools for resources and supplies.