“Unflappable.” “Indispensable.” “Catalyst.” “Transformative.”
Those were among the words used by principals to describe six Sarasota County Schools educators recently selected for the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation’s 2026 Ripple Effect Teacher Award. Each of the teachers was recognized by the Foundation and school district leaders during a series of surprise award ceremonies in May.
Barancik Foundation’s Ripple Effect Teacher Award honors outstanding teachers whose influence extends beyond the classroom and leaves a lasting mark on students’ lives. Each winner receives a $5,000 award from the Foundation.
“We know that everyone remembers their favorite teacher,” Barancik Foundation interim president/CEO John Annis said. “There’s a reason for that. Put simply, these educators make all the difference in the world.”
The Spring 2026 Ripple Effect Teacher Award recipients are:
“It is an honor to celebrate these outstanding teachers,” Superintendent of Schools Terry Connor said. “Their commitment to the success and well-being of their students is inspiring, and we are grateful to have them in our school district family.”
The Ripple Effect program was established in 2022 in partnership with the school district to recognize the daily impact of public school teachers in Sarasota County. The award was created in memory of Charles and Margery Barancik, who believed deeply in the power of education and valued the role that great teachers play in students’ success.
The award’s name recalls something Margie Barancik – who was a teacher herself – once said about her family’s philanthropy: “We can’t change the world, but we can change little pieces of it and hope for a ripple effect.”
A total of 10 Ripple Effect awards are presented annually, divided between May and September to commemorate Chuck and Margie Barancik’s respective birthday months.
Submitted by Greg Luberecki
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota County educators honored with Ripple Effect teacher awards
Reporting by Special to the Herald-Tribune, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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By Special to the Herald-Tribune, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
