Wichita Public Schools Honoree Announced
The 2019 Excellence in Public Service Award honoree for the Wichita Public Schools, Fifth-Grade Teacher Carla Breckenridge, was surprised today at the Buckner Performing Arts and Science Magnet Elementary School.
Ms. Breckenridge joins the other two 2019 Excellence in Public Service Award winners, who have already been acknowledged at their respective jobs with Sedgwick County and City of Wichita.
The honorees were selected from thousands of eligible workers from the three organizations. They share a strong work ethic, exceptional performance and a commitment to community.
Daniel Schrant, Construction Engineer for Sedgwick County Public Works, and Carmen Johnson, Senior Accountant for City of Wichita Finance Department, were announced as honorees last week.
Courtesy of the sponsoring DeVore Foundation, each honoree will receive a $2,500 check at a reception at 4:30 p.m. on May 9 at the Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd.
Carla Breckenridge (Wichita Public Schools) is a fifth-grade teacher at Buckner Performing Arts and Science Magnet Elementary School. Breckenridge began her service to the school district in 2000 as a substitute. Her love for children and commitment to public education inspired her to become a classroom teacher. Today, she is well respected as an innovative educator and leader among her colleagues.
Breckenridge creates opportunities for her students to learn beyond the confines of the classroom. This year, her students researched the Dockum Sit-In and interviewed Dr. Galen Veasey, a member of the original sit-in, and toured the site of what was formerly the Dockum Drug Store and the memorial erected to commemorate the site of the nation’s first sit-in. Her class was also part of the Dockum Sit-In documentary that aired on KPTS in the fall of 2018. Breckenridge initiated and sponsors an empowerment group for fifth-grade girls to address self-esteem, social skills and healthy choices.
Breckenridge is a member of the Wichita Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., participating in many of their programs and initiatives that support young people. She has also been actively engaged with the Wichita Chapter of the Links, Inc. since 1992. One of her most impressive contributions is her development of the African American High School Leadership Conference, Leadership U. In 2012, she created the conference, enlisting the help of key community leaders and sponsors to provide an interactive and engaging conference which has now served over 1,120 parents and students.
