May 26, 2022
First grade teacher, Wendy Garton was recently honored for her teaching efforts and nominated for a statewide teacher of the year award.
On Wednesday, May 18, representatives from Ankeny’s Logic Lodge #636 were at Morris Elementary to surprise Ms. Garton with a certificate indicating her as their lodge’s selection to be considered for the 2022 Iowa Masonic Teacher of the Year Award.
Through this nomination and award program, masonic lodges around the state recognize outstanding teachers in their communities who exhibit the core lodge standards of conduct, courtesy, responsibility, honesty, cheerfulness, kindness, consideration of others, and community involvement.
In the nomination submission, Garton was described as a positive role model, caring deeply for students, and passionate about serving the whole child. “Her passion for learning is tough to match, and it shows in her teaching,” said principal Ben Anderson and assistant principal Joannie Sanger in a joint letter. “Her experience shows and her willingness to share her knowledge with others is why Ms. Garton has and continues to be recognized by our district for demonstrating what it looks like and means to be a Bluejay.”
Building administrators were asked to identify one educator to represent their school, each with many deserving and qualified candidates for consideration. Garton was one of four educators identified by district administrators to be considered for the local award - others selected included Jennifer Cook of Anderson Elementary, Craig Kinrade of the Bondurant-Farrar Middle School, and Christian Vandehaar of the Bondurant-Farrar High School.
The teacher chosen to be honored as the 2022 Iowa Masonic Teacher of the Year will be recognized at the 179th annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of Iowa in September. Please join us in congratulating all Bondurant-Farrar nominees and wishing Ms. Garton luck in the final stage of the statewide selection process.
For more information, visit the Grand Lodge of Iowa's website at https://grandlodgeofiowa.org/grand-lodge/awards/.
