Education Continues To Celebrate Excellence

Due to Coller Industries Incorporated’s continual support and donations, we were able to be a part of the “Excel Evening of Honors” on April 13th. Granite Education Foundation presents awards each year to exceptional teachers and administrators working in their district.

It all starts with the smallest of donations: TIME.

Since Granite Education Foundation’s inception in 1988, educator recognition and support has been a key priority. The Excel Awards are a prestigious honor given to the top 10 educators of Granite School District and has been sponsored by Granite Education Foundation since the beginning. Students, administrators, parents and colleagues nominate educators that exemplify the values of Granite School District.

“Watching the videos of each teacher and their stories and how they make a difference in the kid’s lives was the best part of the evening,” Hannah, Customer Service Manager and Coller Industries Incorporated, said.

Being a professional educator isn’t an easy job. Sometimes it can even be a thankless job. But, thanks to these amazing teachers and administrators, public education continues to excel.

Each year, GEF supporters gather to recognize outstanding teachers, administrators and community members whose personal commitment and contribution impacts 68,000 students in the Granite School District. The Excel Award is bestowed upon nine teachers and one administrator that have been nominated by school administrators, colleagues or students.

Here are the 2018 Excel Award winners.
Congratulations to these incredible educators!

(Top to bottom; left to right.)

Leah Tarrant – Taylorsville High School
Lori Lindford – Bennion Elementary
Jill Thackeray – Skyline High School
Jodi Larson – Upland Terrace School
Stephanie Varoz – Crestview Elementary
Amy Winder – Elk Run Elementary
Katie Pearce – Rolling Meadows Elementary
Brandon Kerby – Cyprus High School
Janice Wayman – Hartvigsen School
Archer Birrell – Hillside Elementary

These individuals are then put through a rigorous review and observation process by experienced education specialists who ultimately identify 10 teachers and administrators from all over the district. In mid April, up to 300 individuals from Granite School District, supporting businesses, community members, and local leaders gather to recognize and honor these 10 winners in the Night of Honors a dinner and award ceremony.

As Coller Industries makes generous donations each year to the foundation, we were able to attend this gala not only as distinguished guests but also as an award presenter. After explaining Coller Industries to the attendees, Hannah proudly presented Archer Birrell, a 3rd-grade teacher at Hillside Elementary, with his Excel Award.

While our role is small in comparison to each of these educators, we are beyond happy that we get to take part in this fantastic award opportunity. In a nutshell, “We donate money for clothes and shoes for the kids in the Granite School District. Then we get to honor these great teachers for their excellent work by presenting the award on behalf of Coller Industries and the Granite Education Foundation,” Hannah said.

The Granite Education Foundation Excel Award

Each Excel Award recipient received a sculpture, designed by local Utah sculptor Matt Glenn. This sculpture comes in two parts. The bottom portion has the four Granite Education Foundation hand icons from their logo. Each hand symbolized educate, give, volunteer and advocate. The top portion is a student’s hand reaching for a teacher’s hand. This piece is also reversible so that the teacher’s hand is extending up toward the student’s hand.

“Educational awards, such as the GEF Excel Award, are awesome because children are the future,” Hannah said. “Teachers are important and deserve this recognition for what they do for our children.”

And, we agree. These teachers are very deserving of this prestigious award. We want to thank these teachers and all the others who work endlessly for the welfare of our kids. You all make a huge difference!

Creating Unity Through Education

Granite Education Foundation (GEF) and Coller Industries Incorporated are working together, again!

Due to our donations and continual support, Granite Education Foundation invited Coller Industries to attend this year’s Excel Evening of Honors. The “EXCEL Evening of Honors” was held on April 21st.

Every year, Granite Education Foundation supporters gather to recognize outstanding teachers, administrators and community members whose personal commitment and contribution impacts 67,000 students in the Granite School District.

The annual EXCEL Award publicly honors and recognizes educators who raise the bar of their profession. The award recognizes teaching that incites intellectual curiosity in students, engages them thoroughly in the enterprise of learning, and has a lifelong impact.

Winners are nominated by school administrators, parents, colleagues and students through an intensive application process. A selection committee then reviews each application. Members of this Excel Selection Committee then surprise each winner at their school with the announcement. This interaction was recorded and shared at the presentation event.

The committee received over a thousand nominations and had to select only ten winners.

Gary Coller, President of Coller Industries, said, “I look forward to this every year, it’s an honor to be around great educators and dedicated professionals who support them. (With ten great teachers honored), and I was able to present an award to a teacher whose mother has also been recognized as a teacher of the year.”

Emily Lehnardt believes that children are perfect candidates for her to “awaken” the human spirit to love life-long learning. She feels children exude great curiosity and seemingly limitless creativity.

Emily applies Dr. Einstein’s teaching philosophy in her classroom. She believes Dr. Einstein lived in creative expression and knowledge. His creativity through experiments gave the world cutting-edge information.

“Ms. Lehnardt is exactly what my son needed in first grade. Her passion for teaching and learning shines through and really inspired him to love going to school.” -Parent

Ramona Braunberger, Marketing Manager for Coller Industries, said, “Emily is the educator you want (for your child). It is very apparent that she cares about the kids and is excited about teaching.”

During the gala, each winner received a special “Excel Award,” a gift basket, a monetary award, and other generous gifts to recognize their achievements.

“Every year we have the phenomenal opportunity to recognize educators who exemplify the values and mission of Granite School District,” said Dr. Martin W. Bates, Granite School District Superintendent.

“These individuals have demonstrated exceptional teaching skills and a commitment to student success. In addition, they provide meaningful contributions to their school community, and are constantly seeking ways to improve the educational experience of their students,” said Dr. Bates.

Congratulations to the 2017 GEF Excel Winners!

Emily Lehnardt – Cottonwood Elementary
Sheri Coats – Armstrong Academy
Sarah Wilson – South Kearns Elementary
Zachary Layton – Eisenhower Jr High
Wendee Johnston – Whittier Elementary
Yvonne Miller – Fremont Elementary
Rhonda Small-Oakes – Hartvigsen
Anita Ardi – Churchill Jr High
Callah Morrey – West Kearns Elementary
Craig Stauffer – Hunter High

Why Honor Teachers?

Research shows that students with high-performing teachers can progress three times as fast as students with low-performing teachers. Effective educators can influence the climate of the entire school. Their commitment, passion, expertise, and creativity are infectious. Students love them because they make learning fun and engaging. Administrators love them because they get results. Parents love them because they affirm their student’s potential.

In the face of increasing class sizes and insufficient funding and resources, the majority of Granite District teachers are dipping into their own pockets and their own time to bridge the gap for their students. Educators are finding progressive and engaging solutions to institutional problems and changing the world, one child at a time.

Coller Industries is proud to be a part of this process. While our role is small in comparison to these educators, we are still happy that we get to take part. Our children’s education has a direct impact on our business as we like to focus on working in our community. Helping out our local community is a large part of what defines the generosity of Coller Industries Incorporated.

Annual Donation: Granite Education Foundation

Every year Coller Industries makes an effort to recognize its employees during the holiday season. Part of this recognition tends to extend into the surrounding community. And, in turn, this translates to donations to various parts of our community. For the past six years, Clyde and Gary Coller, the CEO and President, respectively, of Coller Industries Incorporated have generously donated monetary benefits to The Granite Education Foundation.

The Granite Education Foundation provides access to resources that improve educational outcomes.

The Foundation provides educational opportunities for Granite School District students. They educate students, teachers and members of our community on positive ways to impact the community.

This year the $10,000 donation will go toward several programs.

One of the largest parts of this generous donation will go toward the annual Santa Sacks.

Celebrating the holiday season can present financial challenges for many families. GEF’s Santa Sacks program is designed to help 2,000 under-served families lighten this load. Santa Sacks provides children, grades Pre-K through 6th, with a fun filled gift sack packed with clothing essentials, a hat, warm gloves, a book and a small toy. Santa Sacks allows the community to come together and celebrate the season of giving.

“It makes us more responsible in the community,” said Gary Coller. “Hopefully our customers appreciate when they see that we give back to our own community.”

Another large part of this donation will be given to the Excel Gala program.

Each year, GEF supporters gather to recognize outstanding teachers, administrators and community members whose personal commitment and contributions impact the 67,000 students in the Granite School District. During the Gala, “The Excel Award” is bestowed upon nine teachers and one administrator that have been nominated by school administrators, colleagues or students. Presentations are made by nominees while enjoying dinner, silent and live auctions which raise funds for valuable programs and services that GEF sponsors throughout the year.

The remainder of the donation is to be split between student aid, need based programs and even the general GEF fund.

Coller Industries Incorporated started donating to the GEF in 2009 and to day has donated over $37,000. We are happy to continue our annual support of this wonderful foundation. And as employees here at Coller Industries, it is a pleasure knowing that our employer is so generous with their time and money.