Amanda Lieser (right) received Teacher of the Year Award from Bonnie Vagasky, BestPrep VP of Educational Programs
On May 23, more than 540 BestPrep supporters – teachers, students, volunteers and donors – came together to celebrate the accomplishments of our educators and volunteers at the Annual Luncheon. Xcel Energy Chairman, President, and CEO Ben Fowke provided the keynote address on how to engage the next generation of leaders.
The top educator award, BestPrep’s Carpenter Achievement Award, was given to Amanda Lieser of Robbinsdale Cooper High School. Each year, BestPrep selects one educator for this award, given in memory of Joan Carpenter who was an elementary school teacher in the Robbinsdale District for more than 25 years and worked with BestPrep to develop curriculum.
Amanda was honored at the event for her ongoing utilization of BestPrep’s programs to enhance her curriculum, providing her students real-world experiences and networking practice with employees from some of Minnesota’s top companies. Her unwavering dedication to her students over the years is inspiring. Amanda has been instrumental in engaging Cooper’s AVID students in BestPrep programs, arranging mock interviews and classroom speakers on entrepreneurship, business ethics, insurance, renting, and resume writing with Classroom Plus and Financial Matters.
Through the years, she has created a unique partnership with Cargill that provides a sequential approach to learning. While in 10th grade, AVID students participate in eMentors with Cargill, then attend Career Day at Cargill in 11th grade. Through the financial sponsorship of the Starches and Sweeteners Cares Council, many of these students go on to attend BestPrep’s Minnesota Business Venture.
Amanda shared, “Our students are better prepared for college and future careers because of the knowledge they have been exposed to through BestPrep.” Seeing the results in her AVID students, Amanda expanded her efforts to provide BestPrep speakers to all 1,600 students at Cooper High School during their advisory classes (a model we’d love to replicate in other schools). Amanda’s passion for her students is evident in all that she does to prepare them for life after high school.
Congratulations Amanda! Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate each of our award-winning educators and volunteers at the Annual Luncheon. We invite you to visit our Facebook page to see to see photos from the event.