Nevada school employees awarded national RISE honors

Two Nevada school employees have been honored with the national Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award. Beverly Singleton, a special education paraprofessional at Edith W. Fritsch Elementary School in Carson City, and Vyron Wallace, a campus security monitor at Foothill High School in Henderson, were selected for their outstanding contributions.

Governor Joe Lombardo congratulated the winners, stating, "I would like to congratulate Beverly and Vyron for their tremendous contributions to our state’s schools and students. They serve as role models and are shining examples of the vital role that support staff play in our schools."

The RISE Award recognizes classified school employees who provide exceptional service to students. The award was established by the U.S. Congress in 2019 and is overseen by the U.S. Department of Education.

Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of Public Instruction, expressed pride in the winners and finalists: "I am incredibly proud of our Nevada RISE Award winners and finalists. Their passion and dedication to serving students over their long tenures is inspirational, and they are so deserving of this national recognition."

The selection process involved choosing two nominees from five finalists identified by the Nevada Department of Education. The process was anonymous to ensure selections were based on merit.

Eligible school staff for the RISE Award include those working in various support roles such as paraprofessionals, skilled trades, clerical positions, transportation, food services, custodial work, security, technical roles, health services, and student services.

Singleton has been with Edith W. Fritsch Elementary since 1984 and became a full-time special education paraprofessional in 1999. She supports students academically as well as with emotional and behavioral issues.

Wallace has served as a campus security monitor at Foothill High School for over ten years. He is known for addressing security concerns positively and engagingly with both students and staff.

The Nevada Department of Education leads educational efforts across the state’s districts to advance equity statewide.

Information from this article can be found here.