Awards and Grants
CRA, Inc. empowers educators by offering grants each year. These grants support projects that promote literacy and current theory in our schools and classrooms. Winners have the opportunity to share their projects at our Awards Banquet each spring.
2023 CRA Award Winners
- CRA Award of Excellence: Erin O’Hara, Manchester Public Schools
- Outstanding Admin Award: Khary Fletcher, Old Saybrook Public Schools
- CRA Literacy Leader Award: Kara Hennessey, Coventry Public Schools
2023 Teaching Grant Winners
- Christina Herrick, Ellington Middle School
- Jessica Giuliano, Ana Grace Academy of the Arts Middle School, Bloomfield
- Sandra Felicissimo, Florence E. Smith Stem School, West Hartford
- Lisa Valinsky, Reed Intermediate School, Newtown
- Matt Kyer, Coventry Grammer School
Previous Winners
2021 CRA Award Winners
- CRA Award of Excellence: Shannon Entwistle, Coventry High School English teacher
Read the Press Release! - Outstanding Admin Award: Dr. Andrew Deacon, Torrington Public Schools
Read the Press Release! - CRA Literacy Leader Award: Kristen Festa, Reading Consultant, Sunnyside Elementary School, Shelto
2020 Teaching Grant Winners
- Torrie Phillips from Coventry for “Bolstering SEL in the Coventry community”
- Lauren O’Keefe from Milford for “Reaching All Readers with Diverse and Representative Choice Books”
- Ashley Huckabone from Guilford for “Windows and Mirrors Book Clubs”
- Dee Walters from Norwalk for “Mirrors and Windows -Diverse Books that Reflect the World”
- Kristin Talbot from Torrington for “Mobile Accessible Library”
- Nancy Wiecking from Winsted for “Diversifying the Curriculum through Book Clubs”
- Jillian Bathricky from Guilford for “Diversifying the Library”
- Kara Hennessey from Coventry for “Equity and Diversity in Our Classroom Libraries”
- Therese White from South Windsor for “Building the ‘Woke Book Club’ of SWHS”
- Stephanie McNamar from Coventry for “Supporting Student and Family Diversity Conversations through While School Book Club”
- Jessica Ayers from Farmington for “Advancing the Academic Mindset of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students”
2019 Teaching Grant Winners:
- Angela Buccheri from Wallingford for “Family Literacy Nights”
- Lisa Handfield from Chester for “Afterschool Book Clubs and More!”
- Lauren Donovan, Nicole Flynn & Kristin Piraneo from Kensington for “Critical Literacy Skills: Critically Important for Struggling Readers!”
- Torrie Phillips and Matt Kyer from Coventry for “Little Free Libraries”
- Jacqueline Mulhern, Elizabeth Alagno, and Nicolette Marcal from Waterbury for “SPIRES”
- Emily Fournier from Guilford for “Building Bridges Through Diversity in Literature”
- Vita Beebe from Windsor Locks for “Windows and Mirrors: A Multicultural Library”
- Erin Guarino from Bloomfield for “An Evening of Shared Reading in your PJs”
- Michele Eligio from North Branford for “Memoir Chapbook Project”
Recent Winners
Nicholas Criscuolo Reading Award for Administrators
2018: Dr. Charles Smith – Assistant Superintendent of Wilton Public Schools
CRA Outstanding Reading Educator Award
2018: Leah Page – Reading Consultant, Essex Elementary School
International Reading Association Celebrate Literacy Award
2018: Dr. Karen Waters – Director of Literacy, Sacred Heart University