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.
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:
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

