IESA Headlines

2023 Fine Art Award Winners: Nina Andrews, Natasha Jones, and Lynn Mueller

The recipients who earned the Fine Art recognition awards -- the Distinguished Service Award and the Class Act Award -- are teacher-coaches who have set the bar high.

Given for the first time during the 2009-10 school year, the criteria for the two awards is similar. The recipients must be actively involved in IESA Speech. The recipients must demonstrate the ability to develop and promote standards of good performance practices, integrity and life skills within their students. The contributions of both award winners must have positively impacted students and the school community.

For the Distinguished Service Award winner, the contributions must be significant and/or long term for someone involved with Speech for over eight years of coaching. For the Class Act Award winner, the contributions are from someone involved with Speech for at least 3 and not more than 8 years of coaching.

Nina Andrews who has coached the speech team for over 10 years at Dunlap Valley MS is the 2023 Distinguished Service Award winner. Nina has always gone out of her way to promote and include the students of Valley MS in the activity of Speech. Within her school, she has cultivated a program that welcomes between 80-100 students each year. Her dedication to her students is seen in her students' continued participation throughout their junior high and high school careers. Nina encourages her students to participate in as many performances as possible by setting up multiple opportunities in her school and community to showcase their hard work. She has also served the activity as a judge, served on the Speech Advisory Committee, hosted many contests, and presented sessions at the IESA Fall Speech Workshop.

Natasha Jones, the coach at Manteno JHS for 5 years, is the recipient of the 2023 Class Act Award. Natasha understands that speech lends itself to many different areas of the school. Connections between Language Arts and literary themes are ever present within her speech program. She is a true advocate for the activity and believes that speech fosters confidence in students, builds camaraderie among team members and promotes a strong work ethic. Tasha is an active recruiter for the activity within her school and has a knack for guiding those that have joined her troupe to perform successfully at events.

The Ken Bradbury Lifetime Service award is presented to individuals in the Speech community who have given considerable time and talent to the activity.

This year the Ken Bradbury Award is being presented to Lynn Mueller. Lynn has been a staunch supporter of IESA Speech for over 30 years. She has been a part of the Speech Advisory Committee that has shaped and guided the growth of the activity. Lynn has served as a coach and built a tremendous program, she has been a member of the Speech advisory committee, workshop presenter, and loyal advocate for the students/coaches/and activity. Her work as a judge and judge representative has been insightful and supportive. IESA is, and continues to be one of the finest programs offered because of the active support of individuals like Lynn Mueller.

Congratulations to Nina Andrews, Natasha Jones, and Lynn Mueller.

Nicole Schaefbauer
Executive Director
Illinois Elementary School Association
309-829-0114