Concordia University Wisconsin

Affirming Educators

Lutheran Education Association affirms exemplary educators through ten annual awards. Each award recognizes educational ministry characterized by strong commitment to serving Jesus Christ and excellence and effectiveness in teaching, leadership, and professionalism. Specific qualifications appear in each nomination document and on the Network Web pages.

LEA confers awards after nominations and nominee self-profiles are considered by a panel of peers, which chooses honorees based on the merits described in supporting documents. Awards are presented during the year of selection, but all recipients from the current and previous two years are honored again at LEA's triennial Convocations. Award recipients for 2015 were announced in January 2015.

LEA's 2015 Award Recipients

Cletus Pfeiffer

Christus Magister
Cletus Pfeiffer
Rochester, Minn. (retired)

 Karen Gibbon

Distinguished Lutheran Early Childhood Teacher
Karen Gibbon
Hope Lutheran School
Levittown, Pa.
Willim Unverfehrt

Distinguished Lutheran Elementary Administrator
William Unverfehrt
Concordia Christian Day School
Conover, N.C.

 Amy Cooper

Distinguished Lutheran Secondary Educators
Amy Cooper
Valley Lutheran High School
Saginaw, Mich.
Rebecca Bimler

Distinguished Lutheran Early Childhood Administrator
Rebecca Bimler
St. John Child Development Center
Seward, Neb.

 Benjamin Cooper

Distinguished Lutheran Secondary Educators
Benjamin Cooper
Valley Lutheran High School
Saginaw, Mich.
Terry Umphenour

Distinguished Lutheran Elementary Teacher
Terry Umphenour
Concordia International School Shanghai
Shanghai, China

 Roger Laesch

Distinguished Retired Lutheran Educator
Roger Laesch
Wauwatosa, Wis.