ARIS Thrive Grant for Autism Educators - Let’s Celebrate Our Winners

We are thrilled to announce the four deserving winners of our ARIS Thrive Grant for Autism Educators who will collectively receive $40,000 in curriculum and support from STAGES® Learning.

As we wrap up our celebration of Autism Acceptance Month, we would like to again express our gratitude to all of the 650 educators who applied for the ARIS Thrive Grant. Your stories touched our hearts, inspired us, and reminded us of the importance of our mission to help every student learn and thrive. The winners, from various geographic locations and district sizes, are Anne May, Bronwynne Stewart, Heather Ganime, and Opal Page. Congratulations to each of these individuals on their well-deserved recognition.

Anne May 

CCRR & Bridges Teacher, Willow Woods Elementary, Warren Consolidated Schools, Michigan

Anne May is a dedicated early childhood special education teacher in Warren Consolidated School District, Michigan. With twenty years of teaching experience, she focuses on improving academic and school readiness skills for her transitional kindergarten students, particularly those who are autistic. Anne holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and Masters degrees in Reading and Early Childhood Education. Additionally, she has certifications in art education, elementary education, reading intervention, and general/special early childhood education. Building relationships with her students' families is one of Anne's priorities, and she provides various opportunities for family involvement. This year, Anne has focused on increasing sensory experiences and implementing assistive technology. Anne was awarded the Communication is Key Playground AAC Core Board for her autistic students, enabling them to communicate more effectively. Anne is thrilled to be a recipient of the ARIS grant and looks forward to the 2023-2024 school year.

Bronwynne Stewart 

PreK Educator, John Robert Lewis Early Childhood, Orange Public Schools, New Jersey

Bronwynne Stewart is a Preschool Disabilities teacher in New Jersey who believes that all students have the capacity to learn. She advocates for equal and equitable education for students with disabilities and personalizes their instructional experience to create a student-centered environment conducive to meaningful learning. Bronwynne is an out-of-the-box thinker who creates unconventional ways to reach and meet her students where they are. In her efforts to address the varied sensory and learning needs of her students, Bronwynne regularly optimizes her classroom layout and purchases equipment and materials to provide necessary sensory input. She is passionate about educating her students and providing them with experiences and opportunities to succeed.

Heather Ganime

C Special Educator, Fredericktown R-1 Preschool, Fredericktown R-1, Missouri

Heather Ganime is an Early Childhood Special Education teacher in Missouri who has been teaching for 11 years, with the last 6 years in her current position. She serves students between 3-5 years old with developmental delays, the majority of whom are autistic. Heather finds joy in seeing her students make progress, no matter how small. Outside of work, Heather enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, cooking, crafting, and watching remote control car races. She is honored to be one of the winners of the ARIS Thrive Grant for Autism Educators, but she considers her students to be the true winners of this amazing opportunity.

Opal Page

K-2 AU Teacher, Rockfish Elementary, Cumberland County Schools, North Carolina

Opal Page is a beginning teacher at Rockfish Elementary in North Carolina who is enthusiastic about supporting autistic children. She was inspired to pursue a career in Special Education after witnessing the impact of an excellent teacher on her son's academic success. Opal believes that no two autistic students are alike and that educators can build their confidence by tapping into their individual strengths. She takes pleasure in watching her students learn new concepts and become excited when they realize they can do it. Opal inspires her classroom with the mantra that every child is capable of learning in their own way, provided they have the opportunity to explore various materials and resources. Opal believes that it takes a team to educate, support, and advocate for autistic students and is proud to be part of that team at Rockfish, where Catherine Blackwell played an instrumental role in helping her write a grant.

ARIS Thrive High Five!

The numerous applicants who applied for the ARIS Thrive High Five award truly touched our hearts. In fact, we were so moved by their dedication and efforts that we decided to create a special category - the ARIS Thrive High Five honorable mention award - to recognize even more exceptional submissions. We invite you to join us in applauding these deserving individuals for their outstanding contributions. Their names are listed below.

Arizona

Patricia Finch, Speech-Language Pathology Assistant, Desert Star Elementary School, AESD

California

Jefferey Dixon, Special Education Preschool Teacher, Alameda Elementary, Downey Unified

Sharon Elizabeth Gallagher Tashjian, Resource Specialist, Solvang Elementary, Buellton Union School District SYVSEC

Sophia Martinez, SDC/SH Autism Teacher, Hawthorne Elementary School, Riverside Unified School District

Karen Paparella, Teacher of Moderate/Severe, Yuba County Office Of Education, Olivehurst School Campus SDC- Goldfield, Yuba County Office of Education

Colorado

Sharon Klebba, MIS Special Education Teacher, DCIS Fairmont, Denver Public Schools

Connecticut

Alison Conway, Early Childhood Education Program Director, Little Raiders University, Derby Public Schools

Georgia

Jordan Hirst, Special Needs Preschool Teacher, Belmont Hills Elementary, Cobb County

Yaminah Jackson, Special Education Autism Teacher, Joseph Martin Elementary, Liberty County School District

Idaho

Amanda Bush, Special Education Coordinator, Grangeville Elementary Middle School, Mountain View School District

Nichole Howe, School Counselor, Grangeville Elementary Middle School, Mountain View School District

Illinois

Ana Cheavens, Cross-Cat Special Education Teacher, Dennis Lab School, Decatur Public School District 61

Louisiana

Shelia Martin, Special Education Teacher, OW Dillon Leadership Academy, Tangipahoa20

Maryland

Courtney Turner, Preschool Coordinator/Special Education Teacher Specialist, Special Education Department, Queen Anne County Public Schools

Missouri

Cristel Rector, C.L.A.S.S.Program Teacher, Richardson Elementary, Lee's Summit LSR-7

New Jersey

Ophelia Chiles, Special Education Teacher, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, Irvington Public Schools

Kate Mazzetti, Special Education Teacher ASD 5-6, South Street, Newark Public Schools

North Carolina

Tiffany White, Structured Learning Teacher, Charles E Boger Elementary, Cabarrus County Schools

New York

Kimberly Davis, Speech Language Pathologist, P36K, District 75, Brooklyn, NY

Pennsylvania

Molly Storti, Autistic Support Teacher, Limerick Elementary School, Spring-Ford School District

Amiee Tenerovich, NBCT, Low Incidence Support, PSE-Oliver, Pittsburgh Public Schools

Rhode Island

Stacey Caldarone, Grades 3-5 Self-Contained Teacher, Henry J Winters, Pawtucket School Department

South Carolina

Hope Campbell, Autism Teacher, Lucy T. Davis Elementary, Florence One Schools

Amy Jackson, Enhanced Learning Teacher K-4-3rd grades, Dewey L. Carter, Florence One Schools

South Dakota

Allie Johnson, Early Childhood Autism Program Special Education Teacher, Venture Elementary, Tea Area School District

Rebekah Smith, Special Education Director, Upper Elementary, Eagle Butte School District 20-1

Monica Waltman, Director of Special Services, Carrousel School, Douglas School District 51-1

Texas

Krystal Sutton, Special Education Pre-K-Kinder, Jess Harben Elementary, RISD

Utah

CeCe Afatasi, Life Skills Teacher, Heritage Elementary, Washington County School District

Rabecca Juarez, Life Skills Teacher, Panorama Elementary, Washington County School District

Angel Knapp, Life Skills Teacher, Sunset Elementary, Washington County School District

Vermont

Rose Achilles, Consulting Special Educator, Lyndon Town School, Kingdom East School District

Megean Martin, Assistant Principal, Rutland Intermediate School, Rutland City Public Schools, Vermont

Virginia

Beth Cheney Putnam, ECSE Inclusion Teacher, South Boston Early Learning Center, Halifax

Mary Sherry, Director of Student Services, Appomattox County Public Schools

West Virginia

Rebecca Walton, Special Education Teacher, Peterson Central Elementary School, Lewis County

Wisconsin

Carey Reetz, Speech-Language Pathologist, Hillside Elementary, School District of New Richmond

We applaud all the applicants for their dedication and commitment to providing the best support possible to autistic students. Your contributions do not go unnoticed, and we appreciate the time and effort you have put in.

Once again, congratulations to our winners and honorable mention awardees. Stages Learning looks forward to building partnerships to elevate the quality and consistency of autism programming in your schools and districts!