Third annual awards honor districts, schools, and educators driving meaningful student engagement and academic growth through innovativeinstruction.
Charlotte, NC (Monday, May4, 2026)—Discovery Education today announced the recipients of its third annualDiscoveryEducation Awards, recognizing districts, schools, and educators who are redefining what impactful teaching and learning look like in today’s classrooms.
As a trusted partner supporting teaching and learning innearly halfof U.S. K-12 schools, Discovery Educationestablishedthese awards to elevate education leadersaddressing educationchallenges through innovative, student-centered instruction. Award recipients were selected through a competitive national nomination and application process that evaluates evidence of academic growth and the effective use of instructional solutions to meettheevolvingneeds ofstudents.
At a time when educators are being asked toimprove outcomes while engaging learnersdespiteresource constraints and student attention gaps, the2026 honoreesdemonstratehow thoughtfuldesign and real-world relevancetranslateintomeasurable impact.Together, this year’s winners span eight states and shareacommitment tocreatinglearning experiences that areresults-focused andrelevant.The 2026 Discovery Education Awardsrecipients are:
Districtsof the Year
- Barbers Hill Independent School District – Texas
- Waterford School District – Michigan
- Westinghouse Arts Academy Charter School – Pennsylvania
Schoolsof the Year
- Alexander D. Henderson University School, FAU Lab Schools – Florida
- Alternative Paths Training School–Virginia
- Armwood High School, Hillsborough County Public Schools– Florida
- Checotah Intermediate School, Checotah School District– Oklahoma
- FloridaAtlanticUniversityHigh School, FAU Lab Schools– Florida
- Phillis Wheatley Elementary School, Woodbridge School District – Delaware
Educatorsof the Year
- Dr. Amber Dumbuya, School for Arts Infused Learning–Georgia
- Milton Fernandez, Miami-Dade County Public Schools– Florida
- Mayank Handa, Arizona Autism Charter Schools– Arizona
- Melissa Myer, Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13– Pennsylvania
- Holly Thomas, Burke County Public Schools– North Carolina
- Samantha Westerlind, Cherokee County School District– Georgia
“The recipients of the 2026 Discovery Education Awardsrepresent what’s possible whenK-12 learning isgrounded inintentionandimpact,” said Brian Shaw, Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Education. “Across districts and classrooms nationwide,thisyear’shonoreesdemonstratethatwheninstruction isrelevant,rigorous,and connected to the real world,engagement deepens and academic growth follows.Weestablishedthese awards torecognizethatcommitment, andweapplaud how this cohort of leadersand educators turns student potential into progress every day.”
Learn more about the 2026 Discovery Education Awards recipients atwww.discoveryeducation.com/de-awards.
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About DiscoveryEducation
Discovery Education is a global education technology leader whose innovative solutions empower educators andadvancestudent learning. Discovery Education’s solutions have served more than 100 million students globally, supporting effective teaching and learning in 45% of U.S. K-12 schools and in 100+ countries and territories. The company’s portfolio includes award-winning core and supplemental curriculum, high-quality standards-aligned content, and AI-enabled teaching and learning tools. Solutions span math, science, literacy, social studies, and career-connected learning, includinginstructionally-alignedcontent developed through one-of-a-kind partnerships with industry leaders to bring real-world relevance into every lesson. Learn more atwww.DiscoveryEducation.com.
Contacts
Ali Koper
Discovery Education
Akoper@discoveryed.com
