We see you. We hear you. We celebrate you.
Jostens Renaissance has been recognizing teachers for going above and beyond at their schools for over two decades. Every summer at the Jostens Renaissance Global Conference (JRGC) we honor the recipients of our Educator of the Year and Hall of Fame awards in front thousands of educators, student leaders and Renaissance community members. We love our educators and want to award them for doing amazing things! They’ve earned it.
Dr. Farah Ortega-Choate celebrating the moment she received her Hall of Fame award in 2023.
Education is a career filled with difference makers, big hearts and long hours. These awards recognize those who stand out for the joy they share beyond the classroom. This generosity and dedication impacts their entire school, and often others as well!
Each March, we invite schools and/or individuals to nominate educators for these special awards. A typical application includes a form, a letter from the nominator, several letters of recommendations and photos or video showing the person’s impact on the school.
Our national award winners receive a trip to JRGC with special recognition activities and a personalized Educator of the Year or Hall of Fame ring.
Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame Award
This award is the highest honor that a Renaissance educator can receive from Jostens. Nominations are based on how the educator positively influenced school culture in a way that’s supported by data and recognized by students, staff and administration over the course of several years. The educator must also have demonstrated bringing Renaissance principles and strategies to other local, state and/or national schools and have attended regional conferences or JRGC.
Congratulations to our 2025 Inductees on joining the ranks of Hall of Fame Members!
 Elizabeth Dalzell – Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame 2025 |
 Mendi Camacho – Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame 2025 |
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Read more about them and see a list of past recipients below
Jostens Renaissance Educator of the Year Award
Annually awarded to educators who have positively impacted the climate and culture of their school, these individuals have successfully guided their schools’ Renaissance programs and made a positive impact on the entire school community.
Congratulations to our 2025 Educators of the Year!
 Bentli Lewis – Jostens Renaissance Educator of the Year 2025 |
 DeWayne Patterson – Jostens Renaissance Educators of the Year 2025 |
 Mark Brown – Jostens Renaissance Educator of the Year 2025 |
 Stephanie Jess – Jostens Renaissance Educator of the Year 2025 |
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Read more about them and see a list of past recipients below
Be A Part of This Community
For nearly 40 years (and counting!) Jostens Renaissance has helped schools throughout North America strengthen their culture, character development, academic achievement and educator morale. These national awards not only recognize the successes of the finest Renaissance educators, but they also show others that the work is worth it. Don’t wait another minute to join the incredible Renaissance community and start earning recognition for your efforts! We can’t wait to meet you.
What do the Educators Say?
- “Jostens Renaissance has become a cornerstone of who I am as an educator. Education is an incredibly rewarding field, but it can also be deeply challenging and soul-crushing at times. Renaissance has been a constant light, the flame that is a reminder to focus on relationships, celebrate what’s going well, and lead with purpose and hope. ” — 2025 Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame Inductee, Elizabeth Dalzell
- “Being a part of a movement centered on recognizing the good in others has reshaped how I view challenges with students, colleagues, and even outside of school. I have learned the true power of encouragement and how small moments of recognition can create lasting impact.” — 2025 Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame Inductee, Mendi Camacho
- “Renaissance helped me understand that our role as educators goes far beyond delivering lessons and managing classrooms, or schools.” — 2025 Educator of the Year, Bentli Lewis
- “Renaissance has provided me relations with other likeminded educators from all over.”
- — 2025 Educator of the Year, DeWayne Patterson
- “As an educator, Renaissance has brought so much joy and meaning to my role as a school leader. I honestly can’t imagine being an administrator without Renaissance at the heart of our climate and culture work.” — 2025 Educator of the Year, Mark Brown
- “Jostens Renaissance isn’t just a program I’m part of—it’s something that lives in everything I do.” — 2025 Educator of the Year, Stephanie Jess
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