Each year, the School District of Philadelphia and the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation of Philadelphia, honor 60 distinguished District teachers with a ceremony and a cash award. The Lindback Award for Distinguished Teachers recognizes teachers who create positive, supportive learning environments, motivate students to learn and serve as role models to students.

The 2025 Lindback Award for Distinguished Teachers are:

Kyla Alexander, Stephen Girard School
Njemele Tamala Anderson, Science Leadership Academy (SLA) at Beeber
Nicole Boyd, Thomas Mifflin School
Elisa Brown, Northeast Community Propel Academy
Brett Cammarata Miller, Feltonville Arts & Sciences
Lise Cheney, Gen. Philip Kearny School
Jihee Choi, Horace Furness High School
Marla Colondres, Swenson Arts/tech High School
Tiffiany Cunningham, John H. Webster School
Jennifer Czulada, Solomon Solis-Cohen School
Niyah Dark, Jay Cooke Elementary School
Virginia Defelice, Swenson Arts/tech High School
Michelle DeRemer, Henry A. Brown School
Nicole Digiuseppe, Academy At Palumbo
Jemal Dillard, Crossroads Accelerated Academy
Juan Espinal, Swenson Arts/tech High School
Charisma Evans-Groomes, Joseph H. Brown School
Christopher Frank, Northeast High School
Kimberly Gallagher, John B. Kelly School
Jennifer Gething, Charles W. Henry School
Sandra Gimenez, Anna L. Lingelbach School
Adrienne Gordon, Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy
Amy Gottesman, A.l. Fitzpatrick School
Judith Grant, Spring Garden School
Rhodesia Green, West Philadelphia High School
Simone Hartman, Hancock Demonstration School
Charity Hendrickson, James Logan School
Luke Holtje, Girard Academic Music Program
Tarana Janifer, Swenson Arts/tech High School
Heidi Kern Hannan, Franklin Learning Center
Seanier Keyes, John B. Kelly School
Aisha Kittrell, Feltonville Intermediate
Hannah Kleeman, Kensington CAPA
Sherese Knights, William D. Kelley School
Kami Lynch, Bache-Martin School
Matthew L. Mandel, CCA Baldi Middle School
Carmen Massa, George W. Nebinger School
Gretchen Matteo, D. Newlin Fell School
Santo Mazzeo, Kensington High School
Christine McKeown,  John M. Patterson School
Stephanie Mikalauskas, Jay Cooke Elementary School
Michelle Morales, Alexander K. McClure School
Rabia Oksuz, CCA Baldi Middle School
Theresa Ormond, Feltonville Intermediate
Margaret Osman, The U School
Miguel Paris-Peters, George Washington High School
Jennifer L. Phillips-Love, South Philadelphia High School
Marguerite Pierre, The LINC
Zeone Shields-Short, Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center
Marian Smith-Baker, MYA-Middle Years Alternative
Stacey Straface, James Dobson School
Antoine Stroman, William W. Bodine High School
Ethan Tannen, Julia R. Masterman High School
Khareema Thomas, William D. Kelley School
Julia Vilardi, Henry H. Houston School
Charlotte Webb, Edward T. Steel School
Robert Williams, Jules E. Mastbaum High School
Tisha Williams, Anna L. Lingelbach School
John Winters Jr., Murrell Dobbins High School
Theresa Yzzi, William H. Ziegler School

The 2025 Lindback Award for Distinguished Teachers were celebrated at a ceremony on Tuesday, May 6 at the Philadelphia Film Society. The award, which has been generously funded by the Lindback Foundation since 2011, recognizes teachers for their dedication to District students. Recipients receive a $3,500 cash award which is supported and administered through the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia. The event featured congratulatory remarks, performances from students from the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts and a reception for guests.

“Thank you to the Lindback Foundation and its trustees for honoring some of the outstanding educators who go above and beyond inside and outside of their classrooms to support our students,” said Tony B. Watlington, Sr., Ed.D., “Our students deserve a high-quality education and research shows that the single most important factor in a student’s academic achievement is having access to an effective, highly-qualified, and stable teacher over time. Teachers like our Lindback honorees who have made such an impact that their colleagues, students and families took time to nominate them for this award – congratulations!”

Members of the community were able to nominate teachers from District schools. Sixty teachers were then selected from the pool of nominees that were scored by the Nomination Selection Committee, and recommended to the Lindback Foundation.

“The Lindback Foundation is pleased to honor these exemplary teachers who in the face of ongoing financial and social challenges remain the shining lights for the students and communities they serve,” said Lindback Foundation Trustee David Loder. “These distinguished teachers deserve our thanks and gratitude for nurturing future generations of civic leaders and contributors.”

Last month, the Lindback Foundation also honored seven principals with the Lindback Award for Distinguished Principals. Those school leaders were each presented with a $20,000 stipend to be used to support each winner’s school community.

Learn more about the Lindback Foundation Awards.