Community Foundation Awards $66,000 to Key West Teachers, Including $25,000 to Scott Paul, Teacher of the Year

Nine Key West High School teachers have been awarded a total of $65,000 through the distinguished David Wolkowsky 2024 Teachers of Merit Awards. The awards have been given annually by the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys for over 20 years on behalf of late Key West philanthropist and businessman David Wolkowsky, known as Mr. Key West. The recipients are selected by the school administration.

The 2024 Teacher of the Year is Scott Paul, Social Studies.

Eight other 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

“David Wolkowsky was a visionary who helped create Key West into the eclectic and vibrant community it is today. David valued education and wanted to recognize those hard working and dedicated teachers who are often overlooked and underappreciated. I take great pleasure in being associated with the continuation of David’s gift to the community he loved,” said David Wolkowsky’s grand nephew, attorney Joseph Lipsky.

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. Liz’s 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,” says Liz. “It seems only fitting to honor their memory and their commitment by investing in educators at Key West High School.”

To learn more about creating a Community Foundation fund to honor a family member or loved one, visit cffk.org or call 305-292-1502. To learn about other Community Foundation scholarships, visit www.cffk.org/scholarships.

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