Julie Hatch was nominated for Geny Awards by the Hermiston High School Generation College club. The teachers were honored for their “hard work and inspiration” in helping students realize their dreams.

Four Hermiston elementary school teachers were recently named Geny Award winners by graduating seniors from the Hermiston High School Generation College club.

Generation College is a club that provides support to students who are the first in their family to attend college.

A press release said that the club recognized the hard work and inspiration of those teachers who have helped them realize their dreams.

Recipients of the award include West Park’s Elementary School’s Julie Hatch and Cori Applegate.

Laura Sanchez nominated Hatch,  saying, She’s the one that showed us that learning can be fun, and she’s the one that opened the doors to a great school experience. Thank you, Mrs. Hatch!

Applegate was nominated by Zarai Flores, who said it was because she would always advise me to never give up and always to try my hardest when it came to homework. When I was struggling in something she would always help me after school. She is someone who will inspire a student to go finish high school and go on to college like she did for me.

Two music teachers, John Blake from Highland Hills Elementary School and Mark Douglass from Sunset Elementary School, were also recognized. Blake was nominated by Tori Espinosa and Zaira Sanchez.

Espinosa said, He always taught us with enthusiasm and helped prepare us for middle school choir.

Douglass was nominated by Taylor Miller,  Laura Sanchez and Espinosa.

Sanchez said, We chose Mr. Douglass for the Geny Award because he was always so kind and encouraging to those students who were scared to try out for the solo in our Sunset Stars Choir and he was always pushing everyone to try their best, no matter what the task was. He was a very inspirational person and a teacher to all.

Blake was nominated by  Espinosa and Zaira Sanchez.

He always taught us with enthusiasm, Espinosa said, and helped prepare us for middle school choir.