20 CCSD teachers receive Heart of Education Awards

Band teacher Darren Motamedy writes music for his students to reflect who they are as people and musicians.

It’s more unique, he said, and fits the group.

“I do it ‘cause I love my kids,” said Motamedy, a band teacher at Johnson Junior High School for 13 years.

His reaction to being named Friday night as a recipient of the Heart of Education Awards? “I am shocked and in heaven.”

Motamedy was among the 20 winners of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts’ Heart of Education Awards, which recognize Clark County School District teachers who go above and beyond.

A red carpet ceremony was held to recognize more than 700 finalists and announce the winners.

Each winner received a commemorative medallion, $5,000 and $1,000 to donate to a program of their choice at their school.

The event included photos, a “swag bag” of goodies for each teacher in attendance and entertainment.

The ceremony was hosted by Broadway singer and dancer Jim Caruso, and the keynote speaker was Gayle King, co-host of “CBS Mornings,” who covered topics such as gun violence and also talked about her sister, who is a teacher. Singer Clint Holmes performed, joined by local orchestra students.

“This may be the hottest show in town” — not Adele — because it’s invitation-only, Caruso said, eliciting laughs from the audience.

Caruso said everyone has stories about teachers who’ve made a difference in their lives. He told the teachers they’re unforgettable.

It was a surprise for the winners when their names were announced. Teachers were recognized in groups of five and each made remarks to the audience. School administrators spoke about each teacher in prerecorded videos.

Winners hail from a wide range of schools, including those serving students who have special needs and at a maximum-security youth facility.

“It’s critically important that we recognize our educators for their hard work and dedication,” Myron Martin, president and CEO of the Smith Center, said in a news release. “A community celebration like the Heart of Education Awards not only serves to foster continued engagement and validation, it also acknowledges the many incredible stories of how so many teachers give it their all to engage and enrich students’ lives.”

The eighth annual awards are funded by The Rogers Foundation. The Las Vegas Review-Journal is the print media sponsor.

In a bittersweet moment, Martin announced at the ceremony that the Smith Center and The Rogers Foundation will “close the chapter” on the Heart of Education Awards.

While the awards may be going away, he said, they’ll find more ways to honor the work teachers do.

Martin also said the Clark County School District will produce its own awards show.

Thousands of nominations

At least 3,000 nominations were submitted by school employees, parents, students and community members for this year’s awards, said Rebecca Boyd, senior program manager for education and outreach at the Smith Center.

Nominees had the opportunity to fill out an application, and about 1,400 applications were submitted. Approximately 75 community leaders served as judges and each application was reviewed twice.

“It’s really a great joy to be able to give the applications to the community judges and be able to hear their feedback,” Boyd told the Review-Journal earlier this week.

From there, 776 finalists were selected and invited to attend Friday’s awards ceremony.

Award winner Victor Smith, who teaches technology at Dearing Elementary School, noted feeling grateful to receive the award and for the recognition for the school.

Smith raised more than $10,000 this year to buy robotics equipment, noting, “I’ve brought a lot of robots to our school.”

Valley High School teacher Brooke Wheatley adopted more than 30 students through an Angel Tree program during the holiday season.

She said while backstage about helping the children: “All they need is one positive adult.”

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.