Every year, Tommy Smith Elementary pauses to recognize the people who make our school what it is. This year, three incredible team members stand out for their dedication, creativity, and heart. Congratulations to our 2027 honorees!
Teacher of the Year: LaTarsha Ukazim
LaTarsha Ukazim teaches first grade at TSE, and she brings a simple but powerful philosophy to her classroom: celebrate the small wins every single day. She knows that confidence grows one moment at a time, and she builds relationships first, because she believes kids learn best when they feel known and valued.
This isn't LaTarsha's first time earning this honor. She was named Teacher of the Year at a previous school before joining our TSE family, and she's brought that same excellence with her. Outside the classroom, she volunteers her time at the district's teacher resource store, helping other educators get what they need to succeed.
We're proud to call LaTarsha our Teacher of the Year.
Rookie Teacher of the Year: Trevor White
Trevor White wears more hats at TSE than almost anyone on campus. He started here as a paraprofessional and taught K-2 VE before stepping into his current role as our librarian, where he manages the library, media broadcasting, computers, and textbooks for the entire school.
Trevor runs literacy groups for our K-2 students and guides research projects for our older grades. He leads KKids Club and iTV, and he coordinates the Merritt Brown Helpers partnership, which brings middle schoolers to our campus each morning to mentor and serve as teacher aides before their own school day begins.
Trevor recently took on a new role as TSE's union representative, adding advocacy to an already impressive list of contributions. We're thrilled to name him our Rookie Teacher of the Year.
Support Employee of the Year: Patricia Hewitt
Patricia Hewitt serves as the administrative assistant on our administrative team, and she believes in breaking down every barrier that stands between teachers and their classrooms. She lives that belief out daily: prepping paperwork for field trips and TDYs, ordering supplies at a moment's notice, and making sure our teachers have what they need to focus on what matters most.
Patricia's impact reaches far beyond the front office. She creates our yearbook, leads our fundraising efforts, runs our social committee, and keeps communication flowing among staff. In addition, she surprises staff with fun snacks and special treats. She's the point of contact for district personnel, substitutes, and every visitor who steps onto our campus.
Most recently, Patricia was the behind-the-scenes force who made sure our school remodel and campus rekeying went exactly how our admin team envisioned it. She anticipated every need, tracked every detail, and made sure nothing fell through the cracks. Her work touches every corner of TSE, and we're grateful to name her our Support Employee of the Year.