National Association for Student Activities

The Earl Reum Award

We salute the CURRENT (2023) Regional Nominees...

Kelly Jeffords

NEW YORK

Kelly Jeffords is a Special Education teacher, Leadership Teacher and Student Council Advisor from Depew High School in Depew, NY. She has been an educator for 31 years, 25 of them being involved with Student Activities. In her school, Kelly also serves as an advisor to Student Senate, Link Crew, Leadership TOSA, and Sources of Strength. Since 2008, Kelly has been an adult Board member for the New York State Council for Leadership and Student Activities (NYS-CLSA and since 2010 she has served as its Assistant Executive Director).

Kelly first attended the NCSA in 2009 (Fort Lauderdale, FL) and returned nearly every year since. She was part of the hosting team for the 2015 NCSA in Niagara Falls, NY. Kelly was a co-organizer of the 2022 NYS-CLSA Advisor Workshop and has also been active in the Western New York Advisors Association, arranging Advisor Workshops and networking as part of its Conference Committee. Kelly was the New York State Advisor of the Year in 2015 and the Region 2 Warren E. Shull Advisor of the Year Award recipient in 2016. This is the first time that Kelly has been recognized as a Regional Earl Reum Award recipient.

Felix Yerace

PENNSYLVANIA

Felix Yerace is a Social Studies and Leadership Class teacher, and Student Government Advisor at South Fayette High School in MacDonald, PA. He has been an educator for 19 years, all of them being involved with Student Activities. He has also served as Assistant Executive Director for the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils (PASC) since 2017, creating and implementing several new award programs to recognize outstanding students, advisors, and schools. Felix first attended the NCSA in 2015 (Niagara Falls, NY) and has attended nearly every year since. He is a frequent presenter at NA4SA conferences.

In 2021, Felix was appointed to the NA4SA Board of Directors as Educational & Engagement Coordinator. In that time, Felix has led the effort to develop and successfully implement NA4SA advisor development and training programs including Foundations for Advisors and the NA4SA Academy. In addition to his involvement with PASC and NA4SA, Felix has also been actively involved with NASSP/NatStuCo, serving on its Student Leadership Advisory Committee, and hosting the 2019 NatStuCo National Conference at South Fayette High School. This is the second time that Felix has been recognized as a Regional Earl Reum Award recipient, most recently in 2020.

Monique Albright

MICHIGAN

Monique Albright is a Social Studies teacher and Student Council Advisor at Midland High School in Midland, MI. She has been an educator for 27 years, 17 of them being involved with Student Activities. In her school, Monique also teaches Sociology and Leadership Classes. Monique first attended the NCSA in 2016 (Madison, WI) and also attended the NCSA in 2016 (Spokane, WA) and 2018 (Atlanta, GA). She has been active in the Michigan Association of Student Councils & National Honor Societies (MASC/MAHS), serving as a Senior Counselor in its summer leadership program for the past eight years, facilitating advisor roundtable presentations at their state conferences.

Monique has also presented and facilitated numerous programs and activities for both student and adult diversity training in the Midland High School community, including “How to be a Responsible and Effective White Ally” and “Inclusion Begins with I”. Monique has been recognized for excellence as the Saginaw Valley League Teacher of the Year in 2011, the Helping Hands Award in 2016, and the Gerstacker Foundation Proficiency in Teaching Award in 2020. This is the first time that Monique has been recognized as a Regional Earl Reum Award recipient.

Cyndi Russell-Albach

SOUTH CAROLINA

Cyndi Russell-Albach is an English teacher and Student Council Advisor at R.B. Stall High School in North Charleston, SC. She has been an educator for 20 years, 13 of them being involved with Student Activities. In her school, Cyndi also serves as Speech & Debate Coach. The 2003 Charleston County Rookie Teacher of the year and a 2009 Charleston County Teacher of the Year award finalist, Cyndi is a National Board Certified Teacher.

Cyndi has been involved in a variety of leadership activities for students and staff at R.B. Stall High School. She created a local leadership program, Camp Lead, for students in grades 2 to 7, that has been recognized with awards by both the South Carolina and Southern Associations of Student Councils. In 2017, Cyndi worked with fellow advisors to convince the R.B. Stall High School administration of the value in establishing a student led and focused Leadership Class, which since that time has made positive impacts in both her school and community. This is the first time that Cyndi has been recognized as a Regional Earl Reum Award recipient.

Corey Stillwell

GEORGIA

Corey Stillwell is the Coordinator of Student Leadership for the Gwinnett County Public Schools in Gwinnett County, GA. In this role, Corey works with student leaders and advisors in 24 high schools to help shape student leadership programming throughout the county. He has been an educator for 10 years, 9 of them being involved with Student Activities. Corey has been actively involved with student leadership at the state level since he began his career in education. As a new advisor working in a Title I school, he relentlessly pursued resources to ensure that his students had access to as many leadership training opportunities as possible. Within four years under his guidance, Meadowcreek High School was elected the President and State Conference Host School for the Georgia Association of Student Councils (GASC).

Since 2019, Corey has also served as Assistant Executive Director for the Georgia Association of Student Councils (GASC), working at the state level as he did at Meadowcreek High School before, to increase GASC programming and access to it for all students and their adult advisors. Corey has attended the NCSA each year since 2016 (Madison, WI) and was an integral part of the hosting team for the 2018 NCSA (Atlanta, GA). This is the first time that Corey has been recognized as a Regional Earl Reum Award recipient.

Rashaan Davis

COLORADO

Rashaan Davis is Assistant Commissioner for the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA). He has been an educator for 27 years, 23 of them being involved with Student Activities. For 25 of those years, he was a Social Studies and Leadership Class teacher. In addition to his involvement with CHSAA, Rashaan has also been actively involved with NASSP/NatStuCo, hosting the 2009 NASC National Conference at Highlands Ranch High School and continuing to serve on the NASSP LEAD and National Conference Staff since that time. Rashaan has also presented to the National Association of High School Federations (NFHS), sharing resources with new state level administrators.

Rashaan was named the Colorado Student Leadership Advisor of the Year in 2010, 2013 and 2016. He was also inducted into the Highlands Ranch High School Activities Hall of Fame in 2016, honored for being an advocate for adults, students, and values leadership education in his 16 years teaching there. Rashaan first attended the NCSA in 2007 (Minneapolis, MN) and has attended six NCSA conferences since. This is the first time that Rashaan has been recognized as a Regional Earl Reum Award recipient.

Ashlee VanEss

NEVADA

Ashlee VanEss is a Special Education teacher and Student Council Advisor at Liberty High School in Henderson, NV. She has been an educator for 12 years, all of them being involved with Student Activities. In her school, Ashlee also serves as the Junior Class Advisor, Senior Class Co-Advisor, Spirit Club Advisor, and a Leadership Class Teacher. Ashlee is active with the Nevada Association of Student Councils (NASC), presenting at four NASC State Conferences and five NASC Regional Conferences. She often presents to new advisors, to help launch them with solid foundations for success. As a result, Ashlee is often called on to provide advice and mentorship to support her colleagues new to the field of Student Activities.

Ashlee has also been a presenter at CADA, the California Association of Directors of Activities. Ashlee first attended the NCSA in 2020 (Virtual Conference), presenting on How to Celebrate the Student Body, bringing cheer to students after their world was flipped upside down. This is the first time that Ashlee has been recognized as a Regional Earl Reum Award recipient.

2023 National Earl Reum Award

Each of the above regional nominees is truly "an excellent teacher of teachers", embodying the spirit and ideals set forth by Dr. Earl Reum while serving as true inspiration to student leaders as well as their fellow advisors and activity directors. After the Regional Earl Reum Awards were presented, only one of these outstanding individuals could be selected to become the 2023 National Earl Reum Award recipient...

Congratulations to Felix Yerace of Pennsylvania for being named recipient of the 2023 National Earl Reum Award!