UPDATE: Congratulations to our winner, Sha’Rell Webb. Thanks to your votes, Mrs. Webb is taking home our prize package as the DISH Hometown Heroes Educator of the Year.
Last month, DISH Hometown Heroes asked you to nominate a teacher or educator in your community to be named Educator of the Year. You passed the test with flying colors.
Below, learn more about the five finalists up for the honor. To vote for the winner, follow this link and be sure to come back in July to find out which one of these worthy candidates will take home the award, along with a prize package worth over $6,400.
PHILLIP DEAN
Greensville County High School
Emporia, VA
Mr. Dean has not only helped me understand my work in class to an extra extent but also helped give me ideas about good colleges I should attend. Mr. Dean has guided me on what to expect with college work and how I can complete my work. He has always been a helping hand to any student at our school. Mr. Dean is kind, caring, and funny, and deserves to be recognized not only at our school but around the world.
– Janiece Heslip, Nominator
SHERITA HARMON
Alief Center for Advanced Careers
Houston, TX
Sherita Harmon is dedicated to her students, her colleagues, and the community. She is an exceptional example of a true educator. Sherita has a passion that looks beyond the limits that most people place on themselves. She goes above and beyond the call of duty as a teacher, not only by preparing her students academically but by also teaching them life skills. Beyond teaching, she has provided Dream Prom experiences for several of her students. She feeds and clothes students. Sherita is the founder of two non-profit organizations: Blessed to Be a Blessing, where, throughout the year, she sponsors events feeding and giving back to those less fortunate. Sherita also saw a need and created a mentoring program called H.U.G.S. (Helping Underserved Girls Succeed) Unlimited. She works with girls aged 15-18 from underserved communities. H.U.G.S. provides these young girls with opportunities to foster positive relationships and get academic, social, and personal support.
– Jackie Madlock, Nominator
KIMBERLY MCNALLY
Castleview Elementary
Orlando, FL
Kimberly is admired for cultivating an environment where all children thrive, and advocating for students, parents and teachers. Her passion for working with children extends beyond the classroom. She sponsored the first Girls on the Run, an after-school program designed to inspire and build confidence through running, at her elementary school. This year she is a track coach at Horizon West Middle School. Multiple athletes have told her they were still participating in track because “she believed in them and inspired them to run” in elementary school.
Kimberly organized an inaugural Veteran’s Day Celebration at her school in 2021. The Castleview community honored active duty and veterans by hosting a Parade. In 2022, they were recognized and honored with a breakfast reception at the school. The tradition will continue in the coming years.
Kimberly is an inspiration to her peers and will always be her students’ biggest cheerleader.
– Kay Provolt, Nominator
JILLIAN ORLOWSKI
Cheektowaga Central Middle School
Cheektowaga, NY
Jill has been the class advisor for 8th grade for many years, and brought the 8th grade class to D.C. for the last 19 years. This year, Jill created tiles of every Veteran who fought in Vietnam with the Veterans picture and name on the tile for our 8th graders to find in the Vietnam Wall and leave to honor our Cheektowaga Veterans.
Jill also runs our Veterans Day drive thru, where local Veterans from any branch are invited to attend where they receive a warm breakfast, coffee and a goodie bag handed out by our students. As the vehicles arrive, our band plays the service hymn/song according to the branch they served. It’s an honor to be a part of that day.
For the past 4 years Jill and I have also run a canned food drive/charity fest week where students/staff are asked to bring in canned goods the week before Thanksgiving. We supply all the goods into reusable bags to be given to a local food pantry that serves our local Veterans.
Jill also leads our truck for Wreaths Across America
– Kate Barbati, Nominator
SHA’RELL WEBB
Heritage Preparatory School
Humble, TX
It is with immense pride that I honor my wife, Mrs. Sha’Rell Webb for this recognition. Sha’Rell was the first African American to be named an Education Specialist for NASA’s Lunar and Planetary Institute in its history! In this role, she collaborated with various scientists who conducted Planetary Science Research and Space Sciences. Following her dreams of entrepreneurship – and with a strong personal conviction that youth can do amazing things with the proper encouragement and guidance – Mrs. Webb founded Coding with a Twist, LLC. Coding With a Twist is an organization committed to introducing the underestimated to the world of computer science, coding, robotics and all things STEM.
As an educator, Sha’Rell has an uncanny knack for inspiring and motivating all children to learn, to include children with disabilities. She uses this skill set to develop customized curriculum for children on the autism spectrum. She believes that early exposure is key.
– Chester Webb, Nominator
