Boise State and Alan and Wendy Pesky, founders of the Lee Pesky Learning Center, will honor four outstanding and inspirational K-12 teachers and their schools with the first Pesky Awards for Inspirational Teaching this Friday, Dec. 16, during the winter Commencement ceremony.

The Pesky Awards for Inspirational Teaching, which will be presented in conjunction with the College of Education, recognize K-12 teachers in Idaho who make a major difference in the lives of their students through their passion and caring. Alan and Wendy Pesky funded the award and will personally make the presentations on Friday, along with Diane Boothe, dean of the College of Education. Each of the four teachers will receive $2,000 and their schools will receive $500 each. Friday’s Commencement ceremony begins at 10 a.m. in Taco Bell Arena.

The four Pesky Awards for Inspirational Teaching honorees are:

• Karen Finch, a fifth- and six-grade teacher at Whittier Elementary in Boise. Finch teaches algebra and high-level mathematics, health, reading and spelling. Her nominator, Andrea Thiltgen, had this to say about Finch: “Karen’s young-at-heart attitude inspires her students, their parents, and her colleagues at Whittier Elementary School. She believes that every student has raw talent and that each child can be successful when they find their niche and seize the opportunity to excel. I gain confidence knowing that there are teachers – like Karen – who empower, engage and impact numerous students every day.”

• Darcy Jones, a kindergarten and general education teacher at Riverside Elementary in Boise and a Boise State alumnus. Jones’ nominator, Amanda Campbell, had this to say about her: “Darcy is a model teacher who differentiates every lesson plan, connects with parents and builds bridges between home and school. Her hands-on approach to teaching encourages her young learners to explore and feel comfortable to attempt new tasks, to fail and to try again. This approach makes learning engaging and enjoyable, which sets the tone for her students throughout their academic careers.”

• Harold Kerschensteiner, a seventh- and eighth-grade teacher at Lake Hazel Middle School in Boise. A Boise State alumnus, he teaches pre-algebra, algebra and geometry. His nominator, Megan Rowe, wrote this about him: “Harold has changed my life, from the time I was a 12-year-old student in his classroom to now being able to complete my student teaching with him. His constant encouragement and support have given me the confidence to know that I will be the best secondary education math teacher I can possibly be. He has shown me that it takes more than a college education to be a good educator. As author William Arthur Ward once said, ‘The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.’”

• Marcia von Huene teaches orchestra at Centennial High School. Her nominator, Megan Willhite, wrote that “Marcia’s main purpose is to help kids be the best and brightest musicians they can be. From the time I was a 15-year-old student of hers, until the time I was a student teacher in her classroom, Marcia has always inspired her students to reach for the stars and to never give up. Her presence in the classroom is always encouraging and uplifting, which never ceases to amaze me.”

Alan and Wendy Pesky founded Lee Pesky Learning Center, headquartered in Boise, in honor of their son Lee, who died in 1995 at age 30 from a brain tumor. As a child, Lee had to learn skills to overcome dysgraphia, a problem with organizing letters, numbers and words on a line or page. The center created in his name focuses on giving children and adults with learning disabilities, and those living in poverty, the tools they need to succeed in school. The center also works with teachers around Idaho to give them the updated tools and information on the latest developments in teaching techniques and research findings.

Alan Pesky was a founding partner and retired as president and COO of Scali, McCabe, Sloves, an international advertising agency. He currently serves on the boards of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, Global Grassroots, and the Brain Tumor Foundation. He also is a trustee emeritus of Lafayette College and was a former trustee of The Tuck School of Dartmouth College.

“We want to recognize those extraordinary teachers who ignite a fire in students at some point in their life to set as a goal becoming a teacher and then lighting a similar fire in the lives of the children they teach,” Alan Pesky said. “That is what we hope the Pesky Award for Inspirational Teaching will achieve.”

Wendy Pesky is the retired owner and partner of the Farmhouse Collection Inc., and was a vice president of Creative Services at the Avon Corporation and the vice president of Creative Marketing at Parfums Stern. She currently serves on the board of the Sun Valley Center of the Arts.

“Our teachers are in many ways the guarantors of our country’s future in an ever more global and competitive world,” said Wendy Pesky. “These teachers don’t do it for the large amount of money they earn, or retirement benefits they will gain or the medals they will receive for a job well done. They do it because they love their work and for the fulfillment they get when they see their students move on and achieve. What they seek is acknowledgement that what they do has value.”

In 2007, Alan and Wendy Pesky were honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals as Idaho’s Outstanding Philanthropists.