KANSAS CITY, Mo. — More teachers and support staff will receive awards and monetary prizes from SchoolSmartKC this year than ever before thanks to a new partnership with Royals Charities.
Since 2019, SchoolSmartKC has recognized about 10 teachers annually with its “Excellence in Education Awards.” Each award winner also received $10,000.
This year, SchoolSmartKC said Royals Charities donated $120,000 to the cause. The donation means about 20 teachers and support staff will receive the award and corresponding monetary prize this year.
A total of 40 award finalists will be announced this week. The organization will announce the winners during a ceremony at Kauffman Stadium’s Diamond Club on June 14.
“These awards are a recognition of the talent we have in Kansas City,” said Angelique Nedved, SchoolSmartKC’s director of school quality, who manages the awards program.
Royals Charities hosted and recognized the 2021 class of winners during a game at Kauffman Stadium last summer. The partnership grew from there because children and education are two tenets of the charity’s mission.
“To be able to show them [teachers] the community is behind them, we’re here to support them, is a really big deal. Not just to the Royals, but our community, and also our ownership [support teachers],” pointed out Amanda Grosdidier, Royals Charities executive director.
SchoolSmartKC is an organization focused on closing the achievement gap for students in Kansas City. It hands of “Excellence in Education Awards” to teachers in Kansas City, Missouri, Public Schools and charter schools within the city. Thanks to the Royals Charities donation, SchoolSmartKC will now also award support staff members like front office workers, food service employees and janitors.
“It takes a village to help our youth succeed and be successful in their life. There are a lot of roles in a school building,” Nedved explained.
