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The awards were presented by Dean John Oppliger during the Student Teacher Recognition Ceremony on Dec. 12 in the Bicknell Family for the Arts.
Two top graduating seniors who have completed their student teaching assignments were awarded the Teachers of Promise Award. The award is a statewide initiative developed by Kansas State Department of Education.
Kimberly (Ballew) Medlock, an Elementary Education Unified major from Joplin, Missouri, was a student teacher at Webb City Middle School. She plans to substitute for the spring semester.
Emilie Crowley, a Family and Consumer Sciences major from Tonganoxie, Kansas, was a student teacher at Mission Trail Middle School and Olathe High School. She will begin her master's degree in education policy at the University of Kansas this spring and hopes to begin teaching Family and Consumer Science next fall.
The Distinguished Service Award, a prestigious honor recognizing exemplary commitment and leadership in education, was awarded to Brad Miner, superintendent of the USD 247 school district at Cherokee, and Shawn LaSota, high school English language arts and journalism teacher at USD 101 Erie.
Dean Oppliger said both Miner and LaSota embody the spirit of the Distinguished Service Award through their tireless dedication, innovative approaches, and unwavering commitment to their school communities. Their impact extends beyond the classroom, inspiring students, colleagues, and the broader community.
Miner has served as superintendent at Southeast Cherokee since 2015. His career spans more than three decades, beginning as an industrial arts teacher in Montrose, Missouri, before moving into a technology education teacher position at Chanute (1992-2000). He transitioned into middle school administration at Chanute as assistant principal and principal from 2000 to 2015 before moving to Cherokee.
A dedicated lifelong learner, Miner earned his BS in Education in 1989 and an MS in Technology Education in 1992 from Pitt State, and an EdD in Educational Leadership in 2017 from Wichita State University.
Miner is an active member of the United School Administrators of Kansas, Kansas School Superintendents’ Association, Kansas Association of School Boards, Cherokee Ruritan Club, and Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce.
He is also the recipient of the Department of Technology Studies Excellence of Professional Service Award.
Nomination letters lauded his unwavering commitment to students and staff, highlighting his personal care, leadership, and willingness to go above and beyond, such as driving a school bus during a staff shortage. A nominator described him as “a true champion for students and our school community who demonstrates this on a daily basis.”
LaSota, a passionate educator with a flair for creativity and innovation, has made a significant mark as a high school English language arts and journalism teacher. After earning a BS in English Education from Pitt State in 2011, he went on to teach at Eureka and Fort Scott high schools before landing in Erie.
In Erie, LaSota was tasked with developing a new Journalism class, which has since flourished into a hub of creativity. Under his guidance, students produce a weekly school newspaper and a professional-grade video broadcast. His innovative teaching extends to rewriting classic works, such as The Crucible, into modern scripts to engage today’s students.
A graduate of the Greenbush Leadership Academy, LaSota serves on the District and Building Leadership Teams and has presented twice at the Missouri Write to Learn Conference. His principal describes the Journalism class as “one of the most creative endeavors” he had witnessed.
