2021 Award Recipients
NASP 2021 School Psychologist of the Year
Julia E. Szarko, PhD, NCSP
NASP's School Psychologist of the Year is awarded for excellence in the provision of school psychological services by a field-based practitioner and is selected from nominations by states across the country. Dr. Julia Szarko is currently a school psychologist in the Central Bucks School District in Doylestown, PA. Throughout her 25-year career as a school psychologist, Dr. Szarko has served as a clear example of service to children, families, schools, and the profession as both a practitioner and an advocate.
NASP 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
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Deborah Peek Crockett, PhD, NCSP
The NASP 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Deborah P. Crocket, PhD, NCSP, has made a substantial impact on the profession of school psychology through her exemplary work as a practitioner, graduate educator, consultant, scholar, mentor, and volunteer leader at the local, state, and national levels.
2021 NASP-ERT Minority Scholarship Program Awards
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Bao Ngoc Tong
Bao Ngoc Tong is currently pursuing her Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology at Lewis and Clark College. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Art Practices from Portland State University. Bao aims to advocate for children and families who are newcomers to the United States and other underserved groups. Her mission is to be a bridge between special education and general education, as well as between school and home. Ultimately, she hopes to pursue her doctoral degree and gain the opportunity to learn from and contribute to the field of school psychology internationally.
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Marko Corona
Marko Corona is a first-generation college student who graduated from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Marko is currently pursuing his Education Specialist degree in School Psychology at University of Northern Colorado. Marko hopes to inspire other minorities to pursue school psychology as a career choice. As someone raised by Mexican immigrants, he also aims to become an advocate and a collaborator with students and families from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds. He hopes to use his bilingual skills to build relationships in the community to strengthen school-family partnerships.
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Camika Lewis
Camika Lewis is a first-generation college student who graduated magna cum laude from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Science in Youth Advocacy and Educational Studies. Camika is currently pursuing her Master's/Specialist Degree in School Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Camika is aiming to create an organization that provides not only evaluation support but grief therapy and socioeconomic support to families that have children who've endured the traumatic experience of losing a loved one. Providing not just support but hope and cultural responsiveness to underrepresented and underserved students and their families has become Camika's primary mission and passion.
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Erin Kimble
Erin Kimble graduated summa cum laude from Spelman College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Counseling, option in School Psychology, at California State University, Los Angeles. Erin is passionate about supporting minority students and increasing representation as a Black woman in the field of school psychology. She aims to advocate for all students, to ensure each student is receiving the necessary supports that are specific to their needs. Through advocacy, Erin hopes to foster resiliency and a willingness to grow in the students with whom she works.
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Pa Lee
Pa Lee is a first-generation Hmong American college student who graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Education and an Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Her primary goals include committing to social justice issues, ensuring underrepresented groups receive equitable services, and enhancing delivery of mental health services for diverse populations. Pa aims to foster a community-based school climate, where educators and students feel safe and supported in her role as a school psychologist.
2021 Paul H. Henkin Memorial Scholarship Award
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Jessica Thompson
Jessica Thompson is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist at Spokane Public Schools (Washington). She received her Educational Specialist in School Psychology degree through Minot State University (North Dakota). She is a passionate professional who labors tirelessly to advocate for her students and others with whom she interacts. With the support of great colleagues, and the mentorship of Dr. Joseph Engler, she embraces Josh Shipp's quote that "every child is one caring adult away from being a success story.
GOVERNMENT AND PROFESSIONAL RELATIONS AWARDS
Sherri Bentley
Sherri Bentley was nominated for a Certificate of Appreciation by Alex Franks-Thomas, President of the Washington State Association of School Psychologists. Sherri has been an extraordinary advocacy leader at the local, state, and national levels regarding many issues affecting education and school psychology services. She has been a critical and effective representative to coalitions advocating for appropriate staffing ratios and integrated systems of support for students, and she has been a helping hand in organizing major advocacy events and activities for the state association. She has been an effective advocate for students in Washington State, and her work will benefit students and school psychologists for years to come.
Michael Rube
Michael Rube was nominated for a Certificate of Appreciation by Stephanie Patton, President of the Nevada Association of School Psychologists. Michael has displayed leadership in advocacy by working tirelessly with the Clark County School District board to highlight the shortages in the profession and expressing the negative impact they have on children. His commitment to the profession is evident to anyone who comes in contact with him. Michael is always on the lookout for recruits to the field, is quick to assist colleagues with everything from caseload assistance to a kind ear, and acts as a mentor for numerous students and interns in the field, ensuring positive experiences for folks new to the field.
Linda Young, PhD
Dr. Young was nominated as an Outstanding Advocate by Stephanie Patton, President of the Nevada Association of School Psychologists, for her commitment to advocacy during her three terms as a school board trustee and her 32 years of service as an employee of the Clark County School District. Dr. Young has been a teacher, school psychologist, coordinator for special education programs, high school dean, assistant principal, principal, and professor. In each of these roles, Dr. Young has been a tireless advocate for children and families in her community, especially those from marginalized backgrounds. In particular, Dr. Young has fought tirelessly for issues related to mental health and student safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Honorable Rosa DeLauro
Rosa DeLauro is the Congresswoman from Connecticut's Third Congressional District, which stretches from the Long Island Sound and New Haven, to the Naugatuck Valley and Waterbury. Rosa serves as the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and sits on the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, and she is the Chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, where she oversees our nation's investments in education, health, and employment.
2021 NASP GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH GRANTS
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Amy Violante
Amy is from Easton, PA and graduated from Gettysburg College in 2017 with a Bachelor's degree in psychology. She is a second-year doctoral student in the school psychology program at the University of Montana, where she is a member of the Culturally Responsive Evidence-Based Practices in School Psychology (CRESP) Lab. Amy's Master's thesis is a qualitative and community-based research study exploring the relationship between spirituality and social-emotional learning in order to support Native American students and families in more culturally responsive ways in the Flathead Nation.
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Sonja Saqui
Sonja Saqui is a PhD candidate in the School & Applied Child Psychology program at the University of British Columbia. She has a specific interest in school-based mental health services for students with intellectual disabilities (ID). Sonja has developed a universally deliverable cognitive-behavioral based anxiety coping skills intervention that merges evidence-based strategies for supporting children with anxiety with well-established pedagogical practices for students with ID in the classroom. Her dissertation will preliminarily evaluate this intervention. Her dissertation project aims to provide a foundation for further research exploring inclusive and relevant mental health services to children with ID or other developmental disabilities in school settings.
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Kelli Lahman
Kelli Lahman is a second-year student in the specialist program at Texas A&M University-Commerce (TAMU-C). She is interested in educational law and policy affecting school climate and minority youth. Kelli's thesis focuses on the effect that race has on decision-making in manifestation determination reviews through the use of a quantitative approach. She is interested in evidence-based assessments and consulting with allied professionals to provide supportive environments to students with diverse needs. Kelli established a Student Affiliates in School Psychology (SASP) chapter at TAMU-C and is currently serving as the president. Kelli also serves as the NASP Student Leader for her program.