The Enid Public School Foundation is excited to host the annual Education Celebration honoring EPS building-level teachers of the year, rookie of the year finalists, and support professional of the year finalists.
The honorees, selected by their colleagues, now will be considered for EPS Teacher of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Support Professional of the Year which will be revealed during the Education Celebration, March 4 at 5 p.m. at the Enid High School gymnasium.
The public is invited to attend, and the celebration will be broadcast live on channel 19 Optimum Cable, Roku, Apple TV, EPS YouTube channel and the EPS*tv Facebook page.
“We are looking forward to celebrating these amazing members of our EPS team,” said Dr. Dudley Darrow, superintendent. “Their dedication to our students and families is unmatched and I look forward to recognizing the excellence all of them have committed to our schools.”
The winners, selected by a community committee, will represent the district at the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year competition next fall.
This year’s Teacher of the Year building-level honorees include:
Serah Watson 2nd Grade Adams Elementary
Austin Miles Kindergarten Coolidge Elementary
Frances Mochon 2nd Grade Eisenhower Elementary
Charla Harris 1st Grade Garfield Elementary
Marisa Burrell 5th Grade Glenwood Elementary
Madison Soferr Music Hayes Elementary
Carly Maly Counselor Hoover Elementary
Maggie Sanchez Kindergarten McKinley Elementary
Nancy Smith Speech Language Pathologist Monroe Elementary
Caroline Thornton 3rd Grade Prairie View Elementary
Ryan Gantt 2nd Grade Taft Elementary
Laryssa Haskell Instrumental Music Emerson Middle School
Brandon Beichler Art & Gaming Concepts Longfellow Middle School
Helen Beck Discovering Technology Waller Middle School
Nikki Salinas AP Seminar & English Enid High School
Erik Thomas English Lincoln Academy
Rookie of the Year Finalists include:
Gabriella Cotarelo Freshman English Enid High School
Abigail Gregory 2nd Grade Prairie View Elementary
Jennilee Hockmeyer Science Waller Middle School
Support Professional of the Year Finalists are:
Teresa Chavez Special Education Secretary Enid High School
Joy Coleman Spanish Liaison Longfellow Middle School
Amber Fleming Teacher’s Aide Prairie View Elementary
To view pictures and quotes from each candidate, please visit www.enidpublicschools.org/professionalsoftheyear2026.

