Celebrating Lakota's November Gem Award Winners

• Pam Holbrook (Office Manager, Creekside ECS): Beacon of Positivity Award
• Jordan Eisenhard (Principal, Adena Elementary): Beacon of Positivity Award
• Kimberlee Hensley (Teacher, Liberty Junior): Sapphire of Student Support Award
• Casey Johnson (Teacher, East): Brilliant Innovator Award
• John Wilson (Maintenance, Service Center): Clear Cut Expert Award

Each "gem" was surprised during their workday with heartfelt recognition, surrounded by students, colleagues, and nominators. Their passion continues to make Lakota sparkle every day!

View videos of our winners and read about them below.
 

The Facets of Our November Gems
 

Pam Holbrook: Early Childhood School Honoree (Grades K-2)

Pam Holbrook was described by her fellow staff member as “truly the heartbeat of Creekside Early Childhood School.”

As the school’s office manager, Pam does far more than her job title suggests. She is always the first to stop what she is doing to help a student in need, whether it is offering comfort, solving a problem, or simply being a calming presence. She lovingly cares for the school’s therapy dog, Bendi, making sure she is ready to support students emotionally. Pam works tirelessly, often staying late to ensure every detail is handled with care. Her commitment to staff is just as remarkable. She makes sure every team member has what they need to succeed and goes out of her way to know each one personally. 

The colleague who nominated Pam for the Beacon of Positivity Award said, “Pam never complains, always shows up with a smile, and creates a culture of kindness and reliability that fills every corner of the building. She does not just support the schools, she is the support, and her impact is felt in every hallway, classroom, and heart at Creekside.” 

Jordan Eisenhard: Elementary School Honoree (Grades 3-6) 

Jordan Eisenhard was nominated by three different staff members to receive the Beacon of Positivity Gem Award. 

One of the three nominators said that “Jordan radiates joy, kindness, and enthusiasm each day, creating a school culture where every student and staff member feels welcomed, valued, and celebrated. Currently, Jordan is leading a powerful initiative for every student at Adena to record a video teaching the correct pronunciation of their name. This work not only affirms identity but also ensures that every student feels seen, respected, and honored. It is just one example of how she fosters a culture that celebrates differences while building a strong sense of belonging.

Jordan was commended for always being a positive light, leading by example and highlighting the success of others – inspiring staff and students to achieve more and be the best version of themselves. 

Jordan was also described as the epitome of a Lakota Gem by sacrificing countless hours to make Adena a more healthy, positive, and happy place to learn and work. “She is present in the big moments and small, trying to make sure each student that enters our building feels known and loved. She rocks!”

Kimberlee Hensley: Junior School Honoree (Grades 7-8)

Kimberlee Hensley is receiving the Sapphire of Student Support Award because “she embodies the very best qualities of an educator, and her impact reaches far beyond the classroom walls.”

Starting with curriculum night, she doesn’t simply go through a rote presentation. Instead, she emphasizes the importance of working together—teacher, parent, and student—as a team to support each student. It is obvious that she sees her students as whole people and values a whole student approach—not just as learners in a classroom, but as individuals with emotions, struggles, and strengths that all deserve attention.

While she holds her students to high academic standards, she never loses sight of the fact that their confidence, mental health, and sense of belonging are just as essential to their success.

The nominator added, “it is clear to me that Mrs. Hensley doesn’t just teach—she builds up her students. She creates a classroom environment where students feel safe, supported, and motivated to do their best. She pours herself into her work with dedication, patience, and joy, and the result is that students leave her classroom not only stronger academically but also more confident and cared for.”

Casey Johnson: High School Honoree (Grades 9-12)

The Brilliant Innovator Gem Award is presented to Casey Johnson at Lakota East.  

Casey is described as being very innovative in his methods of connecting with students of all walks of life. He meets them where they are, and pushes them to get out of their comfort zones so that they shine on stage. 

He is always coming up with unique improv games to play in class to make each student feel at ease, and have fun. Casey also goes out of his way with his special needs students so that they are equally included and have a great educational experience each day. 

Casey finds creative and unique ways to tell the stories of his shows through education of the entire theatre process, far beyond performances on stage,” said his nominator. “He cultivates an environment where everyone across his classes/shows is a part of one team.”

John Wilson: Service Center Honoree

The Clear Cut Expert Gem Award goes to John Wilson from Lakota’s Service Center staff. John was described as a leader in the athletic department at East, working a ‘slew’ of overtime so that community organizations can use school facilities on the weekends. 

Just recently, John did maintenance on East's home cross country course, Voice of America, that led to a fantastic day of racing for Lakota runners at GMCs as well as the Southwest OHSAA District Championships. He was able to get the course prepared on short notice and he never once complained about what he was asked to do.

Although his home base is Lakota East, John frequently goes off campus to make sure the athletic facilities at Liberty and Hopewell Junior Schools are mowed, lined, and in tip top shape prior to their home athletic events.

His nominator adds, “John is always positive, easy to work with, and a hard working individual who deserves a ton of recognition for the value that he adds to our athletic department!”

About the Lakota Gem Award

"This year's theme, 'WE are Building OUR Future...One Piece at a Time,' reinforces the idea behind Lakota's Gem Awards," said Lakota Superintendent Dr. Ashley Whitely. "Every single role in this District is an important piece to the bigger puzzle and our overall success story." 

"The response we received during our first year of Gem Awards was impressive to say the least," Whitely continued. "Our committee read over 400 nominations and it was no small feat to select our winners each and every month. The range of responsibilities and expertise was wide ranging among our winners, but their qualities were strikingly similar. They exhibited things like teamwork, innovation, positivity, professional growth and a student-centered mentality. I'm excited to celebrate even more staff members whose brilliance makes a difference in our students' lives every single day." 

To qualify, nominees should reflect any one of these gem-like facets: 

Lakota's monthly "gems" will be celebrated for one more of these award categories, receiving one or more uniquely colored gems that correspond with the facets for which they were selected. Not every category will be awarded each month. Likewise, the same category may be awarded to multiple staff any given month.

Over time, and even during the same month, staff may be awarded multiple gems to celebrate the different qualities they exhibit through their work at Lakota. An individual will not be eligible, however, to receive the same gem twice, even spanning multiple school years.

The District aims to recognize a new group of "Lakota Gem Award" recipients on a monthly basis who represent each grade band (K-2, 3-6, 7-8 and 9-12), as well as Central Office and the Service Center. These individuals are determined by a representative selection committee, surprised during the workday and spotlighted through district communication channels. 

Staff members can be nominated at any time through the end of April using the form linked below. New nominations will be pulled on the first day of each month in consideration for the previous month's awards. All nominations will carry over from month to month and will be considered for the rest of the current school year without needing to re-submit. At the start of each new school year, the nominee pool will be reset.

Lakota's annual "Diamond Educator of the Year Award," presented in partnership with the Northern Cincinnati Foundation and Phelan Insurance, is given to four individuals who meet the criteria of all six Gem Award categories. One individual is recognized for each of these groups: K-6 Teachers, 7-12 Teachers, Support Staff & Administrators. Nominees and winners for Lakota's monthly Gem Awards will NOT be automatically considered for this top award, but are eligible and can be nominated using the separate application shared during the spring each school year.

Nominate a staff member for a Lakota Gem Award. Nominees will be pulled on the last day of November, with the December recipients announced mid-month.

Sapphire of Student Support - Values strong relationships and the importance of meeting students' individual academic, social and emotional needs.

Beacon of Positivity - Radiates positive energy and promotes a welcoming culture that celebrates and respects differences. 

Brilliant Innovator - Uses creativity to create dynamic experiences for students and staff, solve problems and allocate available resources wisely.

Polished Team Player - Embraces the power of community and collaboration to lift one another up and work together for the best possible results.

Gem of Growth - A lifelong learner who values feedback and has a growth mindset for continuous professional improvement.

Clear Cut Expert - A skilled master of their trade who absolutely shines in their area of expertise, leads by example and adds exceptional value to our school community.