2025-26 Winners

2025-26 Annual District Awards Winners

Congratulations to the two outstanding and exemplary employees, Teacher of the Year, Ellie Lilly, and Support Staff Employee of the Year, DJ Pittel

Teacher of the Year, Ellie Lilly,  Herndon Career Center

Ellie Lilly is the Business Innovation and Creation Teacher at Herndon Career Center. She has over 20 years of teaching experience and has been in her current role for three years. Ellie shares, “This position has been a full-circle moment in my teaching career, allowing me to apply everything I have learned about teaching and the business world to uniquely influence the lives of upperclassmen from six local districts.” She feels that her greatest accomplishment as a teacher is the opportunity to spend an entire semester getting to know her students—their strengths, likes, dislikes, prominent personality traits, and goals for the future. Every day, she focuses on leveraging students' interests, skills, and aspirations to help them build the confidence needed to thrive in real-world learning situations. Ellie is actively involved in numerous district committees as well as community organizations such as the Raytown Chamber and Caring for Kids KC. She has also been a sustaining member of the Junior Service League of Independence for over 25 years.

 

Support Staff Employee of the Year, DJ Pittel, Raytown South High School

DJ Pittel is an interventionist at Raytown South High School with 19 years of experience working in schools, including the past two years in his current role. He is passionate about his work and is driven by a commitment to providing the best possible support to both students and staff. DJ shares, “Each day is a chance to allow the staff and students to see the living word.” In addition to his role as an interventionist, DJ serves as an assistant football coach, bringing a unique skill set to his work with students. He attributes his success to his ability to blend 20 years of coaching experience with his expertise as a behavioral interventionist. This combination has allowed him to positively impact students’ lives, helping them grow both academically and personally. DJ’s colleagues describe him as someone who embodies compassion, dedication, and leadership, sharing that “our school is truly better because of him.”