Rebecca Allen named Pioneer Academy certified employee of year

Innovation spurs recognition for Pioneer Academy’s Rebecca Allen, who is being honored by her peers as the 2022 Certified Employee of the Year from Pioneer Academy.

Allen is an example of the Pioneer spirit that is projected daily from the halls of the school. As a teacher with varied responsibilities, Allen teaches English and Spanish, she oversees the Pioneer ELL/ESL department and this year she added the responsibility of being the GATE program coordinator to give support to our gifted and talented students.

Allen has also helped us pioneer a new direction of dual credit partnership with colleges to offer our students a greater variety of courses that they normally would not have access to. Working with professors from Arizona State University and Western Nevada College, Allen co-taught Poetry in America, Whitman to Hip Hop, and Novels into film.

The students have enjoyed the unique way of teaching English standards and this has helped create a rapport with the students to see how the study of English progresses beyond the standard curriculum, while at the same time realizing they are capable of taking a college level course. This has also sparked new energy for the staff to create other opportunities by partnering with WNC and including them into non-dual credit courses.

Allen’s commitment to education and her students is witnessed daily by her colleagues and the students themselves. Her smile and infectious attitude help create a warm and inviting environment where students feel comfortable to learn. In addition to her constant “positivity,” Allen is also known for her willingness to not be afraid of a good challenge of dancing or singing in front of the students at dances, talent shows and many other after school activities.

We want to thank Allen for her dedication and her willingness to branch out and try new things to get our students more interested in English and school. She is making a difference for our students and we look forward to many more years of continued service.

Cary Jordan is counselor at Pioneer Academy.