Employee Awards
Brian Cox, an agriculture teacher at South High, was selected as the 2026-2027 Laramie County School District 1 Teacher of the Year. He was notified of the award at a surprise school assembly on Friday, April 24, and will be recognized by the LCSD1 Board of Trustees at their meeting on Monday, May 18.
Cox has been an educator at LCSD1 since 2023, teaching students at Johnson Junior High and South High.
According to his nomination form, which was submitted by a student, Cox sees growth and potential in every student.
“He isn’t just teaching agriculture, he is helping teach our future with the skills and confidence that we need,” the form said.
Cox holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary agriculture from Texas Tech University. While completing his degree, he was a member of the Texas Teach livestock judging team and served as a student assistant in the Department of Plant and Soil science.
Cox will move on to represent the district in the Wyoming Teacher of the Year competition.
To be selected as the LCSD1 Teacher of the Year, teachers are nominated by students, staff or community members. Teachers fill out an application form which is reviewed by a selection committee made up of LCSD1 staff from diverse roles and departments in the district, as well as community members.
This year, 57 nominees turned in applications. The selection committee scored the applications and chose an elementary, a junior high and a high school teacher to continue as finalists.
Along with Cox, this year’s finalists were Goins Elementary first grade teacher Marti Derringer and McCormick Junior High Spanish teacher Janet Stewart.
Also nominated were Laura Bowers, Tiffany Brinton, Zamboni Brown, Travis Burns, Julian Bustos, Shelby Carlson, Amara Christenson, Victoria Clark, Rhonda Coggins, Mary Cruz, Alyssa Davis, Catherine Doll, Shayna Flanagan, Leslie Fox, Megan Gipfert, Crystal Grady, Beth Grisbee, Colby Harrison, Kristen Harshman-Tator, Nicole Hayes, Erron Hopkins, Christina House, Keri Jenkins, Lindsay Kallhoff, Kymberly Kirkham, Heather Kolde, Deborah Lacey, Theresa McRann, Jennifer Merriam, Robyn Merz, Danielle Michael, Alyssa Minor, Antoinette Moore, Alison Paniagua, Breann Parks, Jennifer Pillivant, Katelyn Stahr, Bryce Strampe, Amanda Sunders, Shayna Simpson, Caley Smith, Kelly Sotelo, Joshua Soule, Elizabeth Stern, Charles Taylor-Christie, Darby Ulmer, Jennifer Voyles, Ryan Walk, Bailey Ward, Tyler Will, Bethany Winkenweder, Andrea Wisdom, Lindsey Woods and Xia-Anna Wysocki.
Laramie County School District 1 announced the winners of this year’s Educational Support Person of the Year (ESPY) awards. Bridget Whiteman, a paraeducator at Dildine Elementary, received the Student Support award and Lucas Finch, the assistive technology facilitator for the Special Services Department, received the District Support award.
The winners, along with 43 other LCSD1 staff members, were nominated by their fellow staff, students, or other community members for displaying a level of professionalism and dedication worthy of this award. The ESPY award has two divisions: the Student Support award is given to a staff member who works with students as their primary duty, while the District Support award is given to a staff member who supports LCSD1 by other means.
Whiteman was selected as the Student Support Person of the Year for her dedication to student success at Dildine. According to her nomination form, Whiteman demonstrates initiative, reliability and genuine care.
“Bridget makes an outstanding contribution to students, staff and the school community through her dedication, professionalism and compassion,” her nomination forms states. “Her natural ability to build strong rapport with both students and staff fosters a welcoming, inclusive environment that positively impacts our entire campus culture.”
The District Support award was given to Finch for his dedication to empowering students. According to his nomination form, Finch is innovative, forward-thinking, hardworking and genuinely invested in the success of LCSD1 students.
“Lucas’ unique skill sets around navigating, problem-solving and developing technology resources are unsurpassable,” the form states. “He is an asset to the special education program.”
Whiteman and Finch were selected from five finalists, which included Tracy Peden, a secretary at Arp Elementary; Jill Hammack, a paraeducator at Freedom Elementary; and Amanda Wolff, a paraeducator at Sunrise Elementary.
Also nominated were Suzie Armitage, Meagan Baker, Laura Berry, Sydney Brennecke, Brenda Brown, Daisy Burt, Holly Byram, Caley Cassidy, Jackie Chowning, Suzanne Clark, Bryant Collins, Rheanna Dowdell, Jocelyn Eskam, April Eslick, Erin Fairweather, Christine Fitzgerald, Andrea Garcia, Renee Garner, Bree Githens, Julie Grandpre, Amber Hamlin, Kaleb Hansen, Kristyn Herrera, Michelle Lambert, Elizabeth Lang, Alissa Luethy, Christine Lyons, David Marks, Brittany Marlow, Jennifer Myers, Dennis Pacheco, Madori Presley, Kacie Pugel, Ashley Santora, Jesse Sherman, Melissa Sommers, Danielle Tabor, Amber Tomlinson, Lindsey Valdez and Erin Zahm.
