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Educator Awards

Recent Honorees

Lyn Luce Leadership Award Recipient 2019

2019 Lyn Luce Leadership Award recipient Andy Wolfe (Superior HS) with Lyn’s Daughter and family.

Retirement, Resignation, and Emeritus Recognition

The WISDAA offers a number of awards to recognize excellence. Educators also may notify us of retirement/stepping down, and will receive a certificate commemorating their years of service.

WISDAA also has recognized individuals who have been outstanding leaders for a considerable number of years; see “Emeritus Honorees” to the right.

Ethel Heise New Speech Coach

About this Award

Speech coaches within their first five years of coaching are eligible for the award when they are doing exceptional work as exemplified by: (A). Number of students involved in forensic program as juxtaposed with the size of the school; and (B). Quality of student performances at the State Speech Festival as indicated by number of students receiving gold, silver and bronze. Candidate must submit the following through the online form (button to right), by March 15. Recipient(s) will be announced at State Speech.

About Ethel Heise

Ethel-HeiseEthel Heise was a longtime Speech coach from Neenah who also taught at Oshkosh Lourdes Academy where she was their first teacher to earn the esteemed Herb Kohl Teaching Fellowship in 1992, and in the same year, received the Wisconsin Communication Association’s Andrew T. Weaver Award for excellence in teaching speech communication. Heise said that she started teaching because she enjoyed her days as a student: “When I was a senior in high school, I didn’t want it to end. The next thing to do was go back and do I again.” She was always supportive of new coaches, which is why WISDAA named this award in her honor.

Past Award Recipients

2010: Nick Sirek, Eau Claire Mem. HS & DeLong MS
2011: Shauna Wessely, Milton HS
2012: Craig Pierce, DeSoto HS
2012: Amy Koszarek, Waterford HS
2013: Abbi Wills-Phillips, Lincoln HS, Wis. Rapids
2014: Vanessa Sieg, Bloomer HS
2017: Jennifer Kieran, Ellsworth HS
2018: Jennifer Jackowski, Union Grove HS
2019: Cole Pankratz, Eau Claire Memorial HS
2023: Andrea Peterson-Longmore, Neenah HS
2023: JamieLynn Teska, Southern Door HS

Lyn Luce Leadership Award

About this Award

The award is presented to an educator who:

  • Is a successful coach in a variety of activities/performance areas.
  • Shows leadership on multiple levels.
  • Has strong community involvement.
  • Is a willing mentor.

Nominators must submit a letter of recommendation through the online form (button to right), by March 15. Recipient(s) will be announced at State Speech.

About Lyn Luce

Lynda Luce was a longtime Speech coach who taught at Waupaca High School, as well as at Fox Valley Technical College, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Oshkosh. She had been president of the Wisconsin Forensic Coaches Association (WFCA) and National Catholic Forensics League. She was honored with the WFCA’s William Hintz Memorial Award for Coaching Excellence in 1993, the Wisconsin Communication Association’s Andrew T. Weaver Award for excellence in teaching speech communication, the Hillshire Krahn Teacher of the Year, and received the Herb Kohl Teaching Fellowship. She was an active staffperson for both the WISDAA State Speech and Theatre festivals.

Past Award Recipients

2013: Nancy Herbison, Tomahawk MS/HS
2014: Roxi Wakeen, Baldwin-Woodville MS/HS
2014: Sam Jonas, Lancaster HS
2015: Mark Kohl, Lodi HS
2016: Sue Luterbach, St. Joan Antida HS, Milwaukee
2017: Tina Fern-Denzer, Viking MS, Baldwin-Woodville
2018: Judine Brey, Regis HS, Eau Claire
2018: Amy Koszarek, Waukesha West HS
2019: Andy Wolfe, Superior HS
2020: Ruth Phillips, Stoughton HS
2020: Dave Winkler, Wrightstown HS
2023: Pam Belden, Bay Port HS

NFHS Outstanding Educator Awards

About this Award

NFHS LogoWISDAA is able to recognize educators for significant and/or long-term contributions to both interscholastic speech and/or debate as well as theatre activities. Professional contributions — both in Wisconsin and beyond the state — are of utmost importance. The nominee should have had a major impact on shaping the activity type for which they have been nominated. Contributions should be of a statewide impact — or beyond — and not just at the school level.

There are two facets to this nomination: (1) the nominee must complete information about their career, contributions, and accomplishments; and (2) the nominator will complete a separate brief narrative nomination.

Each nomination should be accompanied by a photo of the nominee. Only fields, limited by word count, will be accepted on the nomination form (no additional/outside information).

This nomination form is due by November 1.  Honorees will be announced in spring of the following school year.  The NFHS recognizes the state winner as nominated by the WISDAA; from the pool of state honorees, an annual winner in each of eight geographic sections is recognized; and each year, a national honoree is recognized with a citation, one of the highest honors the NFHS bestows, other than its Hall of Fame.

Past Award Recipients

Speech, Debate, Theatre Educator Awards

1990: Stephen Spear, Loyola University & WHSFA Debate Advisor
2009: Roxanne Wakeen, Baldwin-Woodville MS/HS
2014: Lynda Luce, Waupaca HS (posthumously)
2017: Nancy Herbison, Tomahawk
2019: Patricia Luostari, Northwestern HS, Maple, WI
2020: Adam Jacobi, WISDAA* ++
2021: Holly Stanfield, Kenosha Bradford*
Discontinued as a joint award after 2022.

Speech & Debate  Educator Awards

Starting 2022-23

Theatre Educator Awards

Starting 2022-23

* Also the NFHS Section 4 (WI, MI, IL, IA, IN) honoree
++ Also the National Honoree

> Full listing of national award honorees

NFHS Heart of the Arts Award

About this Award

NFHS LogoThis award seeks to recognize any student, adult, or group associated with a school’s performing arts programs — who exemplify ideals of the positive heart of the arts that represent the core mission of education-based activities. The award may be given in recognition of a specific act or for an activity of longer duration. This award, similar to the Spirit of Sport Award, covers myriad performing arts disciplines sponsored by a state activities association, which in Wisconsin includes: Music, Speech, Debate, Theatre, and Film. This nomination is due by December 15.

The NFHS recognizes the state winner as nominated by the WISDAA or the WSMA; from the pool of state honorees, an annual winner in each of eight geographic sections is recognized (Wisconsin is part of Section 4 with Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan); and each year, a national honoree is recognized.

Award Requirements

The award may be given in recognition of a specific act or for an activity of longer duration:

  • demonstrating exemplary “heart,” sportsmanship and/or citizenship in participation as it should occur;
  • exceeding normal expectations in assisting others within the school or community; or
  • overcoming adversity or a challenging circumstance.

In the instance of a student, that student must be in good academic standing within his or her respective high school. Among the qualifying criteria that will be used are the student’s grade-point average, the activities in which he or she is involved, and community involvement. Other candidates should possess similar positive character traits, such as a high level of integrity and ethics.

The nomination must be for something that occurred between January 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024. Nominated individuals do not necessarily need to still be enrolled in high school at the time of the nomination.

Past Award Recipients

Speech, Debate, Theatre Educator Awards

2020: JI Case Eagle Theatre, Racine

> Full listing of national award honorees