2026 Gold Star Nominees
The Gold Star Awards recognize the outstanding staff, volunteers and alumni who make a difference across Highline. This year, the Highline Schools Foundation received 147 nominations! Here is a list of all of the nominees. The winners for each category will be announced at the Gold Star Bash.
2026 Gold Star Nominees
Outstanding Alumni
- Community Partnerships & Family Engagement Team (Arone Andu, Rocio Ceja, Roderick Branca, Rosa Manriquez, Rosie Santiago)
- Ifrah Ahmed, Tyee High School
Outstanding Leadership Staff
- Andrew Crook, Evergreen High School
- Angie Bartlett, Health Services
- Corbin Busby, Hilltop Elementary
- Ellen Want, Hilltop Elementary
- Emily Feldtmose, Cascade Middle School
- Jodi Robertson, McMicken Heights Elementary
- Joseph Boyer, Evergreen High School
- Kathryn Holley, Evergreen High School
- Kimberly Jones, North Hill Elementary
- Kristi Suznevich, Sylvester Middle School
- Kyle Hutchinson, Shorewood Elementary
- Maggie Heater, Marvista Elementary
- Taylor Blue, Chinook Middle School
Outstanding Office Support Staff
- Ali Yashruti, Midway Elementary
- Angela Halos, Gregory Heights Elementary
- Ashley Lair, Bow Lake Elementary
- Catherine DaCosta, Sylvester Middle School
- Dina Crosby, North Hill Elementary
- Juan Gonzalez-Hernandez, CAB-N Dept of Digital Transformation
- Kelsey Gomez, Puget Sound Skills Center
- Melissa Erkenswick, Seahurst Elementary
- Natalie Robel, Raisbeck Aviation High School
- Nikki Ashe, Chinook Middle School
- Rebeca Salinas, Innovation Heights Academy
- Roderick Branca, Family/Community Partnerships
- Serah Haugse, Parkside Elementary
- Susan Hope, Evergreen High School
- Vanessa Canales, McMicken Heights Elementary
- Vicki Treakle, Shorewood Elementary
Outstanding Operations Staff
- April Williams, Waskowitz Outdoor Education Center
- Mario Munoz Gomez, Shorewood Elementary
- Najibullah Karimi, Des Moines Elementary
- Tim McLellan, Marvista Elementary
Outstanding Paraeducator
- Allison Roberts, Hilltop Elementary
- Angela Farnsworth, Marvista Elementary
- Anna Bilic, Sylvester Middle School
- Audris Pettit, Bow Lake Elementary
- Carmel Cook, Bow Lake Elementary
- Christina Robinson, Madrona Elementary
- Coletta Hopey, Bow Lake Elementary
- Courtney Steenrod, Marvista Elementary
- Darcy Bork, North Hill Elementary
- Eva Leuthy, Highline Public Schools
- Iveth Ramirez Terrazas, Madrona Elementary
- Jennifer McManamon, Valley View Early Learning Center
- John Rainwater, Hilltop Elementary
- Joy Armstrong, McMicken Heights Elementary
- Juan Morales, Marvista Elementary
- Kevin Tessandore, Highline High School
- Lori Riggs, Shorewood Elementary
- Maria Pena Castro, HIlltop Elementary
- Marie Jazmine (MJ) Manaois, McMicken Heights Elementary
- Mayra Guzman Pacheco, Hazel Valley Elementary
- Melissa Bernal, Highline High School
- Rann San, Mount View Elementary
- Regina Overton, Highline Virtual Academy
- Santana Malakar, Midway Elementary
- Sarai Villaneuva Simmons, McMicken Heights Elementary
- Spencer Ssenyama, Shorewood Elementary
- Sweetra Fazly, Pacific Middle School
Outstanding Rookie Teacher
- Betsaida Ortiz-Gonzalez, Hilltop Elementary
- Ilona Brose, Parkside Elementary
- Jenna Lutz, Raisbeck Aviation High School
- Kathryn Holley, Evergreen High School
- Logan Samuels, Hilltop Elementary
- Maximiliaan Magno, Tyee High School
- Wendy Pacheco, Madrona Elementary
- Zahira Almejo Lopez, Pacific Middle School
Outstanding Student Support
- Daniel Bolea, Bow Lake Elementary
- Denise Permen, Valley View Early Learning Center
- Elaine Moy, Mount Rainier High School
- Erin Zamora, Seahurst Elementary
- Haley Miller, Midway and North Hill Elementary
- Jessica Wada, School Psychology
- John Wyss, Hilltop Elementary
- Keagan Daniels, Shorewood Elementary
- Kristianna Person, Marvista Elementary
- Lily Cohen, Midway and Marvista Elementary
- Naisha Erickson, Health Services
- Nancy Trang, Cascade Middle School
- Rachel Kerr, Evergreen High School
- Rebeca Salinas, Innovation Heights Academy
- Terri Ainardi, North Hill Elementary
- Thai Rogers, Evergreen High School
Outstanding Teacher
- Alejandro Isiordia Navarro, Evergreen High School
- Alison Kestle, Mount Rainier High School
- Amanda Sandate, Highline High School
- Amanda Skey, North Hill Elementary
- Arianna Sapp, Mount Rainier High School
- Arnel Hadzic, Marvista Elementary
- Betsaida Ortiz-Gonzalez, Hilltop Elementary
- Bianca Longbucco, Cedarhurst Elementary
- Brenda Phelps, Sylvester Middle School
- Cathy Reinsel Torres, North Hill Elementary
- Christina Smith, Hilltop Elementary
- Christine Alexander, Des Moines Elementary
- Chrystal Mason, Highline High School
- Daniel Paly, Evergreen High School
- Darrin Stolz, Raisbeck Aviation High School
- Elizabeth Short, Bow Lake Elementary
- Emilia Galvez, Shorewood Elementary
- Eric Knaphus-Soran, Marvista Elementary
- Erika Castellon, McMicken Heights Elementary
- Erin Carlton, Highline High School
- Georgina Juarez, Hilltop Elementary
- Giovana Zorilla Mascaro, Hazel Valley Elementary
- Hannah Holman, Mount Rainier High School
- Isaac Burdick, Shorewood Elementary
- Jacob Dean, Evergreen High School
- Jessica Barber, Bow Lake Elementary
- John Wyss, Hilltop Elementary
- Karen Montes Gasga, Hilltop Elementary
- Katie McGrew, Gregory Heights Elementary
- Kimberley Glusick, Evergreen High School
- Kimberly Rodriguez, Highline Virtual Academy
- Kyle Stewart, Cascade Middle School
- Lindsay Bogovich, Community Based Services
- Lori Bento, Marvista Elementary
- Maria Pina, Hazel Valley Elementary
- Mario Pilapil, Highline High School
- Mason Costantino, Hilltop Elementary
- Michelle Thomas, The Realistic Transition Program
- Mickie Walker, Marvista Elementary
- Mohamad Shibly, Evergreen High School
- Nathan (“Nate”) Lommen, Cascade Middle School
- Nelly Arroyo, Marvista Elementary
- Phoebe Thompson, Seahurst Elementary
- Renee Agatsuma, Evergreen High School
- Robin Elliott, Shorewood Elementary
- Samantha Fall, Gregory Heights Elementary
- Sarah Gasamis, Shorewood Elementary
- Stephanie Kuborssy, Glacier Middle School
- Theresa Vasquez, Highline High School
- Thomas Moore, Puget Sound Skills Center
Outstanding Volunteer
- Corina Viera, North Hill Elementary & Sylvester Middle School
- Rasheed Smallwood, Cascade Middle School
- Rebecca Vargas, Hilltop Elementary
- Sharon DaDalto, Highline HS, Mount Rainier HS, PSSC
- Soledad Garcia Velasco, Hazel Valley Elementary