Thanks for tuning in to the Virtual Annual Lunch-In!
More than 525 BestPrep supporters, teachers, volunteers, and students attended the first-ever virtual Annual Lunch-In event on October 5, 2020.
The event kicked off with an exclusive and surprise welcome from Melinda Gates of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Pivotal Ventures and featured a message from New York Times journalist and three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Thomas Friedman. A highlight of the program was keynote “How to Climb the Ladder without Getting Dizzy or Falling Off” by Jeannine Rivet, Retired Executive Vice President of UnitedHealth Group.
The Annual Lunch-In recognized BestPrep’s most outstanding Minnesota volunteers, teachers, and students from the last year. See below for a listing of all the 2019-2020 award winners.
Watch the program recording here and check out photos from the event on our Facebook album.
Congratulations to the Award Winners:
Board Member of Distinction: Adam Taylor, Securian Financial
Don Friborg Student of the Year: Khadra Sharif, University of St. Thomas
Carpenter Educator of the Year: Jenna Gomer, Eastview High School
Bunzel Volunteer of the Year: Ashley Erickson, Optum
Service Award Winners:
Melissa Adams, UnitedHealth Group
Dean Barton, Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
Richard Benton, Ecolab
Jacqueline Berry, 3M
Matthew Haag, Ecolab, Inc.
Christopher Husaker, General Mills
Emma Keeler, Medtronic
Jennifer Kriha, Versique Search & Consulting
Elizabeth Krogh, Artisan Financial Group
Shoua Lee, Wells Fargo
Joshua Lehman, Allianz Life
Jessica Lo, Emerson
Evan Loenser, U.S. Bank
Michael Martin, Thrivent
Casey Meyer, Securian Financial
Jess McCoy, Federated Insurance
Christine Noonan, Minnesota State Fair
Stacy Hystrom, KPMG
Meghan Paulson, Cargill, Inc.
Michael Remington, Xcel Energy
Darcy Roessler, Best Buy
Brian St. Martin, Allianz Life
Valerie Young
3M Group Service Award Winners:
Thomas Asci
Jerold (Alex) Drake
James Dobbs
Kevin Green
Taylor Harper
Bryan Hunt
Justin Pettinelli
Educator of Excellence Award Winners:
Eric Bartosh, Valley Middle School
Susan Beers, Luverne Public School District
Tracy Byrd, Washburn High School
Raquel Gudiel, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
April Johnson, Murray County Central High School
Julie Johnson, Minnehaha Academy-Upper School
Michael Krech, Washington Tech Secondary Magnet
Kevin Neff, Rockford Elementary Arts Magnet School
Julie Onken, Woodbury High School
Sadie Oraskovich, Champlin Park High School
Elizabeth Rojas, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
Kathy Romero, Como Park Senior High School
Tyler Soderstrom, Isle High School
Becky Wallerick, Jefferson High School
Mandy Wineberg, Robbinsdale Cooper High School
Mainong Yang, Upward Bound – Century College