3 Things to Cheer About – April 2025
CLICK ON EACH COLUMN TO READ MORE ABOUT EACH OF OUR CHEER-WORTHY AREAS THIS MONTH! WATCH THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI HONOREE VIDEOS
Spring Fling 2025: A Celebration of Our Local Educators
Spring Fling 2025: A Celebration of Our Local Educators (picture gallery below) On Tuesday, April 30, the CU Schools Foundation hosted its 5th annual annual Spring Fling— celebrating the incredible teachers of Champaign Unit 4 and Urbana District 116. Held at Riggs Beer Company on High Cross Road in Urbana, this Teacher Appreciation event [...]
Super Star 2025 Recipients
CUSF announces its 2025 Super Star Award for Unit 4 and District 116 support staff and paraprofessionals. Our schools would simply not run as effectively or efficiently without the many supporting talents and expertise of these essential staff members. From multilingual teaching aides, student support advocates, office managers, food service assistants, hall monitors, [...]
Shining Star 2025 Recipients
Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (CUSF) will honor ten teachers in 2025 with the Shining Star Awards. Selected Unit 4 and District 116 teachers are nominated by their peers and exhibit exemplary service, extra effort, enthusiastic attitude, and innovative ideas that noticeably benefit their students. Unit 4 Schools are represented by Mandee Crow – [...]
Melissa Luffman receives the 2024 Mann-Hankel Teaching Excellence Award
Melissa Luffman, a Special Education teacher at Stratton Academy of the Arts, was surprised with the Mann-Hankel Teaching Excellence Award from the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (CUSF) during her class on Thursday morning. This is the fourth year CUSF has provided this award, established by Barbara Mann and her husband Steven Hankel. The [...]
Urbana Middle School teacher Rusty Clevenger receives 2024-2026 Gene Amberg Excellence in Teaching Endowed Chair Award
Urbana Middle School Visual Arts Teacher, Rusty Clevenger, is the 2024 recipient of the Gene Amberg Excellence in Teaching Endowed Chair from the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation. Clevenger will be presented with the award during class on Wednesday, May 15 at 12:25 p.m. Mr. Clevenger has been teaching in the Urbana School District [...]
Shining Star 2024 Recipients
Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (CUSF) will honor nine teachers in 2024 with the Shining Star Awards. Selected Unit 4 and District 116 teachers are nominated by their peers and exhibit exemplary service, extra effort, enthusiastic attitude, and innovative ideas that noticeably benefit their students. Unit 4 Schools are represented by Kellie Clinton, librarian [...]
Super Star 2024 Recipients
CUSF announces its 2024 Super Star Award for Unit 4 and District 116 support staff and paraprofessionals. Kelly Hill, CUSF Executive Director notes, “Our schools would simply not run as effectively or efficiently without the many supporting talents and expertise of these essential staff members. From multilingual teaching aides, student support advocates, office [...]
Introducing the 2023 Mann-Hankel Teaching Excellence Award Recipient Abby Donovan- Kenwood Elementary 1st Grade
Abby Donovan, 1st grade teacher at Kenwood Elementary, was surprised with the Mann-Hankel Teaching Excellence Award from the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation during her class on Monday morning. This is the third year CUSF has provided this award, established by Barbara Mann and her husband Steven Hankel. The award recognizes a Unit 4 [...]
Shining Star 2023 Recipients
Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (CUSF) will honor four teachers in 2023 with the Shining Star Awards. Selected Unit 4 and District 116 teachers are nominated by their peers and exhibit exemplary service, extra effort, enthusiastic attitude and innovative ideas that noticeably benefit their students. Unit 4 Schools are represented by Christina Patterson, 2nd [...]