SAFE SCHOOLS AWARDS

OSSCC believes that it is important to provide members of our community with real examples of Oregonians who are working to make schools better for LGBTQIA+ and all youth, so we created the Safe Schools Awards in 2013. We invite people to nominate a person, a school, a district or an organization that has been doing great things to make schools a safe and nurturing place for students, especially LGBTQ+ students. The Mission of OSSCC is to make Oregon schools safe for all students, teachers and families, and we want to honor those who are working to support this Mission.

Highlights from the 2023 Awards - Maria Fleming, award winner from St. Mary's Academy receives her award from Joy Wallace, OSSCC Board member. Maria is the GSA advisor at St. Mary's and works to make all students feel valued and important.

Each year we solicit nominations and then host an event where those nominated are recognized and honored. Past Safe Schools Award winners are listed below:

2023 Award winners

2022

Raychell Rohrwasser, Visual Arts Instructor, Sherwood High School
Sara Linnertz, Counselor and GSA Advisor at Newberg High School
Newberg Education Association, represented by President Jen Schneider
Joel Ekdahl, English teacher at Canby High School
Emmett Pearson-Brown, Reynolds High School Assistant Principal
Kate Hildebrandt, Civil Right and Title IX specialist
Evan Tucker, Grants Pass High School student
Deenie Bulyalart, Grants Pass High School student
Dr. Joe Morelock, former Newberg School District Superintendent
Rebecca Piros, Ines Pena and Brandy Penner, Newberg School Board members

2021

Devin Harkness, Counselor; ACCESS Program at Lane Middle School, Portland Public Schools

Nicole Levine, Program Administrator in Student Success and Health Program, Portland Public Schools

Shannon Perry, Middle School Teacher, Forest Grove Community School, Forest Grove School District

Colt Gill, Superintendent of Schools, Oregon Department of Education

Holly Campbell-Polivka, Youth Services Librarian, Tigard City Library

The Living Room, A Safe Haven for Clackamas County LGBTQ+ Youth, Milwaukie

Krystal Gregory, Brookings Harbor High School Librarian, Brookings Harbor School District

Kristin Blomberg, Hillsboro School District Comprehensive Sex Education Committee, Hillsboro School District

2019

Erin Rook, Diversity Coordinator for OSU-Cascades, Bend, OR

Wes Chernin, Consultant, Portland

Sam Blanchard, previous 3rd grade teacher, at Sacramento Elementary, Parkrose

Darian Lightfoot, Previous Inclusion Coordinator at Northwest Youth Corps

Derek Henderson, Program Operations Specialist and

Frank Leavitt, Programs Senior Management, Portland Public

Jess Firestone, Buckman Elementary, Portland Public Schools

Leslie Lucir, Culinary Teacher and Sexuality & Gender Equality Advisor, Junction City High School

Michael Sanchez, Secretary, Jefferson High School, Portland Public Schools

Northwest Youth Corps, Eugene, OR

Leo Soell, Teacher at Sunnyside School, Portland Public Schools

Jean Winters, Paraeducator, Faubion Elementary School, Portland Public Schools

David Martinez, Student Success Program Manager, Portland Public Schools

Dr. Martha Rampton, Retired Director, Center for Gender Equity, Pacific University

K.T. Emerson, Assistant Executive Director, OSAA

Peter Weber, Executive Director, OSAA

2018

Lonnie and Vickie Read, Adult Allies, Pendleton PFLAG

Mark Koopman, Adult Ally, High Desert Middle School Teacher & GSA Advisor

Michelle McMillan, Adult Ally, Cleveland & MLC High School Career Coordinator

Chris Synderbrown, Adult Ally, Metropolitan Learning Center

Lavell Wood, Adult Ally, Harriet Tubman Middle School Assistant Principal

Shannon McClure, Adult Ally, Sunnyside Environmental School Principal, PPS

Lisa Piscitello, Adult Ally, LGBTQ+Straight Club Advisor, Brookings Harbor High School

Aynika Nelson, Outstanding High School Student, Brookings Harbor High School

Sabrina Achcar-Winkels, Outstanding Student, Lakeridge High School

Dr. Olivia Murray, Adult Ally, Graduate School of Education, Portland State University

Brita Scott, Adult Ally, GSA Advisor, La Grande High School

Hailey Smith, Outstanding High School Student, North Bend High School

Liv Funk, Outstanding High School Student, North Bend High School

Nicole Kappes-Levine, Adult Ally, Program Administrator, Portland Public Schools

Amber Reeves and Ernesto Dominquez, Adult Allies, Concordia University

2017

Jill Torres, 5th grade teacher at Howard Elementary school

Brian Anderson, lead custodian, Cottage Grove HS

Aryn Zanca, Program Coordinator for The Living Room

Brianna Stiller, Education Support Services, 4 J School District

U of O - MEChA students Alejandra Miranda, Carina Garcia and Manuel Mejia

Gonzalez: Jim Garcia and LCC MEChA for 2017 LCC MEChA conference

Anne Thom, Westside Village Magnet School, Bend

Sarah Cole, Activities Director at Hillsboro High School

2016

Youth Leader: Brendan Tadlock, Sheldon High School GSA

Youth Leader: Sage Dupre, NAYA Academy GSA

Adult Ally: Karin Moscon, Title IX Coordinator, Oregon DOE

Adult Ally: Dana Goodale, Dallas High School GSA

Adult Ally: Tina Gutierez-Schmich, Equity Coordinator, Bethel School District

Outstanding Private School: Central Catholic High School

Outstanding School District: Lincoln County School District

Outstanding Non-profit: Lotus Rising Project, Medford, OR

2015

Ashland High School: Erika Bare

Cottage Grove High School: Erin Royce.

Taft High School: Majalise Tolan, principal

Yukon Jenkins, Education Program Manager, Transactive Gender Center

Jefferson Morgan, Living Room

Debora Owens, Teacher at Lake Oswego Junior High School

2014

Lines for Life – Kovi Altamirano

Central Oregon Coast PFLAG

Oregon School Boards Association

Michael Mahoney, Oregon DOE

2013

Project Believe in Me

Oregon & SW Washington LGBTQ Educators and Allies Group

GLSEN Oregon

PFLAG

PFLAG Clackamas

TransActive

Momentum Alliance

OGALLA Safe School Sub-Committee

Multnomah Youth Commission

Michael Sanchez, Secretary in the Counseling Center at Jefferson High School, won an award for creating a safe, affirming space for all students especially LGBTQ+ students who don't have safe affirming spaces at home and for being the Co-Advisor of the GSA.

Shannon Foxley, Counselor at da Vinci Middle School was nominated by Charlie Dupper, drama teacher, for being the founder of the school’s Queer Student Alliance and for creating a safe space for LGBTQOA+ students.

2023 Nominations for Safe Schools Awards

Robin Will, President of GLAPN Northwest LGBTQ History

Brayan Gonzelz, Bend-LaPine teacher and Out Central Oregon Board member

Britt Bieberich, LGBTQ+ Program Manager, Portland Public Schools

Shannon Foxley, da Vinci School Counselor, Queer Student Alliance advisor

Tom Myers, Skyline K8 3rd & 4th grade teacher

Michael Sanchez, Jefferson H.S. Counseling Secretary, GSA Co-Advisor

Portland Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

Lorien Brooks, Central HS science teacher and GSA Gender and Sexuality Alliance Advisor

Maria Fleming, Theology Faculty and Advisor to Queer Student Union, St. Mary’s Academy

Rep. Robert Nosse, Oregon State Legislator

Corey Tamondong, Brookings Harbor HS music teacher

DeAnne Varitek, Brookings Harbor High School Principal