The Jefferson City Public Schools Foundation has received a new gift to honor "Life-Changing Educators" in the Jefferson City School District.
Beginning next year, two to four educators will receive the Life-Changing Educator award, according to a news release from the foundation.
A committee of Jefferson City area community members will choose the finalists based on their written applications submitted in February, and the awards will be announced at Jefferson City School District's annual Staff Appreciation Banquet in April 2021.
Don and Linda Eisinger created this award in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and school closures in Jefferson City. Linda Eisinger taught at West Elementary School for many years and was the Jefferson City School District Teacher of the Year in 2004 and Missouri State Teacher of the Year in 2005.
In 2016, the Eisingers established the Eisinger Teacher of the Year and Eisinger Outstanding Educator awards through a gift to the Jefferson City Public Schools Foundation.
The Eisingers created the Life-Changing Educator award because they wanted to honor teachers for their continued commitment, according to the news release.
"School closures created virtual learning opportunities which became challenging to navigate for many families due to the absence of in-classroom teachers," the foundation's news release states. "The gift recognizes the importance of and need for in-person classroom teachers."