Nine Key West High School teachers have been awarded a total of $65,000 through the distinguished David Wolkowsky 2024 Teachers of Merit Awards.
For the past 20 years, the annual awards have been given by the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys on behalf of the late Key West philanthropist and businessman David Wolkowsky, known as “Mr. Key West.”
Wolkowsky died Sept. 23, 2018, at age 99.
He was a visionary who helped create the vibrant community that Key West is today, attorney Joseph Lipsky.
“David valued education and wanted to recognize those hard working and dedicated teachers who are often overlooked and underappreciated,” Lipsky said. “I take great pleasure in being associated with the continuation of David’s gift to the community he loved.”
The 2024 awards also included eight Teachers of Merit, each received $5,000:
- Keri Fink, science
- Joanna Gray, social studies
- Tara Jackson, career and technical education
- Thomas Kailian, math
- Lindsay Moore, student services
- Melissa Nelson, science
- Tina Philips, exceptional student education
- Kyla Shoemaker, English
In addition to the Wolkowsky Awards, reading teacher Stacy Saunders received $1,000 as the 2024 recipient of the annual Harry and Linda Bryant Award.
Tampa area resident Liz Wooten-Reschke is a graduate of Key West High School and created the Harry and Linda Bryant Fund at the Community Foundation in 2020 in memory of her late parents who lived and worked in, volunteered and financially supported the Keys for more than 40 years. Her mother was a long-time English teacher at Key West High School.
“My parents gave countless hours, dollars and support to the Key West community,” Wooten-Reschke said. “It seems only fitting to honor their memory and their commitment by investing in educators at Key West High School.”
For more information about other Community Foundation scholarships 👉 www.cffk.org/scholarships.
