SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Education Association (IEA) awarded seven educators from around the state for their outstanding commitment to their schools, students, communities and public education.
The awards were presented during the IEA Representative Assembly (RA). The RA is the legislative body of the IEA and helps the state’s largest union set its agenda for the year. There are 1,200 IEA delegates, guests and state dignitaries who attend the RA.
The IEA award recipients were nominated and chosen for their awards by their peers.
The 2025 IEA RA award winners are:
Bob Haisman Early Career Teacher of the Year Award – Christopher Pettit (Orchestra teacher, Bell Graham Elementary School CUSD 303)
As an early career educator, Christopher Pettit has demonstrated outstanding involvement in our local, state and national associations. Christopher has served as a region council member, IEA Representative Assembly (RA) delegate, National Education Association Representative Assembly (NEA RA) delegate and building representative for his local, St. Charles Education Association. In addition to holding leadership roles, he contributes to the elections, grievance and school board elections committees. Christopher’s commitment to union involvement at multiple levels is truly commendable for an educator in the first decade of his career. In terms of professional achievements, Christopher played an active role in creating the D303 elementary orchestra curriculum, leveraging his strong understanding of state and national standards as well as his background in private instruction. He has created an orchestra program environment where students across the socioeconomic spectrum feel valued, capable and motivated to excel. Perhaps most impressively, Christopher has enhanced the image of new teachers through his proactive approach to professional growth. As a graduate of the EMELT program, he has sought out opportunities to develop his skills and taken on responsibilities typically associated with more veteran educators. Christopher embodies the spirit of excellence, engagement and advocacy that this award seeks to recognize. His contributions to our association, his profession and public education as a whole make him an outstanding candidate for this honor.
Bob Haisman Student of the Year Award – Stephanie Chávez (aspiring educator, Elmhurst University
As an IEA Aspiring Educator, Stephanie Chávez has consistently demonstrated strong values of leadership, reliability, compassion and consistency. As a College of DuPage student in 2023, Stephanie recognized the power of aspiring educators standing with faculty members. During tense negotiations between the College of DuPage Faculty Association and the board of trustees, Stephanie spoke out in support of her professors and showed up to their rallies. Stephanie went on to be honored as one of two outstanding graduates at College of DuPage. As IEA Aspiring Educator chair, Stephanie has been an advocate for paid student teaching and represented fellow members in 2024 by speaking on a panel at the NEA Aspiring Educators conference. Stephanie is passionate about ensuring representation for educators of color in every space she is in. This past year, she was recognized during Hispanic Heritage Month by Congresswoman Delia Ramirez for her contributions to public education. As a first generation Mexican-American, Stephanie is committed to teaching her students to be proud of their roots, especially children of immigrant families. She will graduate from Elmhurst University in May 2026! Her commitment to public education, strong work ethic and unwavering kindness and compassion have made her an excellent leader in IEA Aspiring Educators.
Dr. Cheryl L. Thayer Higher Education Advocate Award – Marquitta Martin (adjunct professor, City Colleges of Chicago)
Professor Martin has been a fearless advocate for fair pay for members of the cosmetology department at City Colleges of Chicago. Years ago, she identified that faculty in this department—predominantly women of color—were being paid half the rate that other adjunct professors were being paid. The union discovered this unfair practice only after Martin identified it in her own paychecks and adamantly pursued the question of “Why?” She fought for this issue personally with the administration, organized fellow union members to get on board, pushed for it in bargaining and was central to the grievance and arbitration that eventually won equal pay. When people think of higher education, they usually think of math, science, English or the humanities. Or, they think of building and manufacturing trades when they think of career and technical training. Part-time faculty in the cosmetology department are too often forgotten despite the invaluable training and service they provide their students. Martin has never let her colleagues or her students be forgotten. She exemplifies the mantra, “when we fight, we win!” Martin is a fighter, and she and her colleagues are no longer alone in their struggle for dignity and recognition for their department. Her involvement in the union has changed how we represent our members and how we think about the meaning of higher education.
Education Support Professional of the Year – Dawn Gmitro (instructional assistant, A.E.R.O. Special Education Cooperative D806)
Dawn Gmitro is an instructional assistant for a special education co-operative in a junior high multi-needs classroom. Throughout her career, she has shown incredible growth and does an excellent job adapting to the needs of her students across programs. As the union hallway representative for her wing of the building, she is a resource for her coworkers and empowers them to advocate for themselves and others in the workplace. What makes Gmitro stand out is her motivation to look beyond the classroom. She works to have a deep understanding of every student and goes out of her way to interact with their families to build positive, trusting relationships. She looks, listens and talks with her students to understand what they need to succeed—and she holds them to high expectations. As a colleague, Dawn brings a wealth of knowledge and a genuine love and passion into the classroom. Not only does she support students, but also her fellow staff members. In everything she does, Dawn is professional and honest, while showing compassion and understanding. She makes the AERO Special Education Cooperative better for every student, family and educator.
Mary Lou and Keith Hauge Retiree Award – Levita Anderson (retired educator)
As an educator of 36 years and active retired IEA/NEA member of 49 years, Levita has made significant contributions to our union. In the many years she has been a member, she has not only organized new locals, including the Education Support Professionals local in District 144, but she has also recruited retirees through endless membership drives. She promotes the retired chapter by running the membership table at every RA she attends. Anderson knows our voice as educators is our power. In addition to participating in recommendation meetings for local and state candidates, she encourages members, and anyone who will listen, to get involved in elections. If you have found yourself at an action day, it’s probably because she talked you into it! In the late 1990s, Anderson stood alongside fellow union members and walked from the Springfield IEA office to the U.S. Capitol to protest GPO/WEP. After many years of hard work, the NEA, IEA and its coalitions were victorious in repealing the unfair law that negatively impacted retirees. Beyond her work in the classroom for 36 years, she advocated for her local members, bargained countless contracts, and most importantly, lifted up future leaders. Anderson puts her boots to the ground and speaks truth to power, and she does it in the humblest manner. She is a force within the IEA/NEA and continues to serve and mentor with inspirational enthusiasm. Her impact on our union is truly immeasurable.
NEA Award for Teaching Excellence – Kimberly Radostits (Spanish teacher, Oregon Junior/Senior High School CUSD 220)
As a Spanish teacher at Oregon High School, Kimberly Radostits has built supports not only for students to help guarantee their success, but also for her fellow teachers. Early in her career, Kimberly encountered a student who hated school. She challenged herself and her student to find ways to make school better–and she has never stopped doing just that. Miss Rad, as her students aptly call her, is the epitome of a teacher leader. As a Spanish teacher, she has created an AP Spanish curriculum, designed and implemented an award-winning program for at-risk freshmen that has a 96 percent pass rate and turned students’ academic careers around in the course of the past 16 years. She created a day of community service, created a mentoring program for new teachers to help them succeed and moderated an online forum for 14,000 Spanish teachers from around the country to help each other perfect their craft, among so many other accomplishments. In addition, she served as the Illinois Teacher of the Year and used that position to help spread the message of her “Freshmen on Track” program to districts across the state, changing lives of so many of Illinois’s youth. She cares deeply about her co-workers and is known for leaving a piece of candy in staff members’ mailboxes once a month with a handwritten note. When students had to choose a teacher to thank one year at Thanksgiving, the majority of them chose Miss Rad for “helping them feel like they belong at our school.” You would be hard pressed to find a better example of a teacher of excellence. Miss Rad makes students feel safe and welcomed at school and ensures the future of the profession by supporting and mentoring her co-workers. She is the true embodiment of all the reasons this award exists.
Reg Weaver Human and Civil Rights Award – Amy Evans (intervention reading assistant, Lincoln Elementary School CUSD66)
Amy Evans is a voice for ALL. Evans has served as local president, region chair, and now NEA ESP-at-large, advocating from the local level to the national level for member rights and advancing the profession. At the local and state level, Evans has collaborated with National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) to expand their services to counties in central Illinois. She has lobbied in Springfield for funding for 988 and crisis response services and suicide prevention funding and worked with her city of Canton to have an official Suicide Prevention Week to shift public perception, spread hope and share vital information. Evans established the Doyle Hutton III Memorial Scholarship fund to raise awareness for those who struggle with mental health and in May 2024, the scholarship fund awarded scholarships to seven high school seniors, totaling $4,500. As the NEA ESP-at-large, Amy advocates for mental health, equity, and social justice. She is a strong voice for mental health support for our members and empowers fellow union members to start conversations in their own public schools and communities. Amy is a bright light in our public schools. Her service to others is never ending. She is the definition of a humanitarian.
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The 135,000 member Illinois Education Association (IEA-NEA) is the state’s largest union. IEA represents Pre K-12 teachers outside the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
