Past Winners – Connecticut Reading Association

Past CRA Award & Grant Winners

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

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, Shelton

Shannon Entwistle being recognized by the Coventry Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Petrone. — Shannon Entwistle being recognized by the Coventry Board of Education with Superintendent Dr. Petrone.

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”

2020Grants1

Ashley Huckabone - Windows and Mirrors Book Clubs
Literacy Coach, Baldwin Middle School

2020Grants2

Kara Hennessey - Bringing Diverse Texts into the Classroom
K-12 Literacy Specialist, Coventry Public Schools

2020Grants3

Jillian Bathricky and Cheryl Robertson - Diversifying our Library
Literacy Coach, Elisabeth C. Adams Middle School, Guilford, CT

2020Grants4

Lauren O’Keefe - Reaching All Readers with Diverse and Representative Choice Books
English Department Head, Foran HIgh School, Milford

2020Grants5

Nancy Wiecking - Diversifying the Curriculum Through Book Clubs
English Teacher, Winsted

2020Grants6

Stephanie McNamar- Supporting Student and Family Diversity Conversations through Whole School Book Club
Reading Consultant, Coventry Grammar School

2020Grants7

Torrie Phillips - “Bolstering SEL at G.H. Robertson School & in the Coventry Community”
Library Media Specialist, George Hersey Robertson School, Coventry

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”

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