K-12 Excellence

TreAnna Buchanan

TreAnna Buchanan is a fourth-grade humanities teacher at KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary. She consistently leads her students to strong academic results, with 74% reading on grade level during the 2023–24 school year.

Known for her innovative instruction, Buchanan developed a “Jeopardy-style” text analysis game that boosts engagement, particularly for English learners. As grade-level chair, content lead, and master teacher, she hosts small-group reading interventions and facilitates peer feedback to strengthen instruction throughout her school. She also fosters strong relationships with families and is a leader in organizing cultural and community events.

From her nominator, Britnee Kennedy, Principal of KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary School:

“TreAnna doesn’t just teach reading—she builds confidence, community, and curiosity that lasts far beyond fourth grade. She knows every child deeply, and families trust her because her impact shows up in students’ lives, as well as their test scores.”

Shaunnel David

Shaunnel David is a second-grade lead teacher at KIPP Washington Heights Elementary School in Manhattan. A 10-year KIPP veteran, her students routinely post region-leading growth on iReady exams.

During the 2023–24 school year, 24 of David’s 27 students met target growth in math, with 20 exceeding stretch goals. In reading, 23 met targets and 19 surpassed stretch benchmarks. David builds student confidence, fostering ownership and agency over learning—foundations for their strong performance. She is known for creating a warm, affirming classroom with rigorous, relevant lessons that inspire students.

As a content team leader, she pushes both peers and students to meet the highest bar of excellence, improving outcomes throughout her school.

From her nominator, Jeffrey Immwold, Principal of KIPP Washington Heights Elementary School:

“Shaunnel is a master of student-led learning. You can walk into her classroom and see excellence without even hearing her voice because she has empowered her students with the knowledge and confidence to do the heavy intellectual lifting and support one another in getting better every day.”

Ricardo Henry

Ricardo Henry is a middle school math teacher and case manager at KIPP DC’s Learning Center. He supports students in the Legacy Program—a specialized setting for learners with behavioral and emotional challenges.

Under Henry’s instruction, which emphasizes personalized learning, 89% of students met growth goals in 2023–24, up from just 35% two years earlier. He develops three differentiated lesson plans daily and adapts grade-level work for all learners without stigma. A leader in tech innovation, Henry co-developed AI tools for worksheet modification and math instruction. He also uses creative methods like rap and financial literacy projects to boost engagement.

His teaching is grounded in high expectations, strong relationships, and a firm belief that every student can excel with high-quality, tailored instruction.

From his nominator, Michael Cordell, Principal of KIPP DC The Learning Center:

“Ricardo has redefined what excellence looks like in our most complex classrooms. His belief in kids is unshakeable, and that belief becomes students’ own—they thrive because they know they are supported and valued. His passion for mathematics is contagious, inspiring even those who may have doubted their own abilities to believe in their potential for success.”

Nnenna Kpando

Nnenna Kpando is a high school biology teacher at KIPP Academy West in Houston. She has accelerated academic gains in her classroom, with 92% of students meeting grade-level expectations and 99% approaching proficiency on annual biology assessments—well above statewide averages.

Nnenna is known for creating a learning environment where students feel motivated, curious, and emotionally safe—reflected in 100% favorable student survey results for support and classroom culture.

A former department chair and current coach, she combines lab-based learning with affirming routines and personalized support for all learners.

From her nominator, Brittany Ford, Principal at KIPP Academy West:

“Nnenna creates a classroom where students see science as a pathway to power. Students are challenged to think deeply, develop the confidence to take risks, and leave knowing that they belong in any lab, field, or future they want to pursue.”

Chasitee Letts

Chasitee Letts is a reading teacher at KIPP CONNECT Primary in Houston. For the past three years, she has led KIPP Texas in fifth-grade reading outcomes. In 2023–24, her students outperformed peers statewide on the STAAR exam, with 94% approaching standards, 62% meeting them, and 31% achieving mastery.

Letts combines rigorous instruction with warmth, accountability, and a joyful classroom culture. As Reading Department Chair, she coaches colleagues to deliver exceptional results for students, including English learners and students with IEPs. Her structured routines, data-driven feedback, and inclusive supports create a learning environment where all students thrive.

From her nominator, Adam Kutac, School Leader at KIPP CONNECT Primary:

“Chasitee’s classroom is what happens when great teaching meets great love. She is the kind of teacher who changes the trajectory of kids’ lives, designing instruction that works for all learners and prepares them to think, grow, and lead.”

Mattie Lucas

Mattie Lucas is a second-grade teacher at KIPP Wisdom Academy. Since joining the school six years ago, her students have achieved region-leading growth in reading. By the end of the 2023–24 school year, 64% of her students were at or above grade level on DIBELS literacy assessments, exceeding national outcomes for both growth and performance.

Lucas creates a structured, affirming classroom where every student is engaged and supported. As grade-level chair, she also mentors colleagues and models best practices, fostering excellent teaching schoolwide.

An avid runner, she introduced a student running club, raising funds for shoes and ensuring free participation for all.

From her nominator, Justin Schulze, Principal at KIPP Wisdom Academy:

“Mattie creates a classroom where all students believe in themselves, feel safe, and unstoppable. Whether she’s mentoring colleagues, launching a running club, or supporting students to master a new concept, she is a leader who lifts our entire school community every day.”

Deadra Nelson-Mason

Deadra Nelson-Mason is a social studies teacher at KIPP NYC College Prep in the Bronx. She brings rigorous, student-centered instruction to her AP African American Studies and U.S. History classes. In 2024, 100% of her AP African American Studies students passed the exam, with 70% scoring a 4 or 5.

Nelson-Mason’s classroom is rooted in love and high expectations. Students are challenged to think critically, reflect, and engage with history as active participants. She builds lessons around inquiry, primary source analysis, and student-led discourse, developing deep content knowledge and analytical skills.

She also integrates social-emotional learning, fosters agency, and uses feedback to guide students toward sophisticated historical argumentation.

From her nominator, Monica Samuels, Principal of KIPP NYC College Prep:

“Deadra brings history to life through storytelling, inquiry, and reflection. She creates space for challenging conversations, teaches with compassion, and never lets students settle for surface-level thinking. She is changing lives, one lesson at a time.”

James Walsh

James Walsh is a third-grade math and science teacher at KIPP One Primary school in West Humboldt Park, Over the four years he has taught at KIPP One Primary, Walsh has led his students to achieve remarkable growth quickly by creating a high-trust classroom environment where students are challenged to improve by at least 1% every day.

Since the beginning of the school year, he has increased the percentage of students near, at, or above grade level from 32% to 75%, quadrupling the number of students performing on grade level over the same period.

Walsh’s lessons are models of inclusive excellence that emphasize critical thinking and deep conceptual understanding. A fluent Spanish speaker with an ESL endorsement, Walsh goes above and beyond to connect with multilingual learners and students who need additional support, using data-driven instruction and real-time feedback to meet diverse academic needs.

From his nominator, Denise Gilbertsen, Assistant Principal at KIPP One Primary:

“James creates a classroom where every child feels like they belong and every voice matters. His lessons are exceptional — so much so that he was selected as a national exemplar math teacher — but what truly sets him apart is how deeply knows, loves, and supports his students.”

Michael Yeung

Michael Yeung is a fifth-grade math teacher at KIPP Heritage Academy in San Jose. He is one of KIPP Northern California’s top-performing educators. In 2025, his class achieved 82% proficiency on the winter interim exam, with a 20% decrease in students scoring in the lowest quartile.

In his prior role as a seventh-grade teacher, Yeung’s students consistently achieved proficiency rates at or above 60%—well above average for the state of California and the surrounding San Jose school district.

Yeung blends joyful engagement with rigorous, conceptual math instruction. A San Jose native, he supports multilingual learners through differentiated instruction and inclusive practices. Whether adjusting instruction in real time or using manipulatives to support students with IEPs, he ensures every learner feels seen, challenged, and capable of excellence.

From his nominator, Jessica Kimura-Thompson, Interim Principal at KIPP Heritage Academy:

“Michael’s students don’t just learn math—they love it. That joy, paired with real results, is what makes his classroom a model for excellence and a place where all students are supported to learn and thrive.”