With nearly 5,500 teachers participating in the NGPF Academy this year, graduating with Summa Cum Laude status for hours earned in the NGPF Academy is no easy feat. Who worked their way to the top 1% of the 2024-25 class?

This impressive list of 56 teachers completed a combined total of over 6,848 hours of professional development during the 2024-25 NGPF Academy Year!

This includes one-hour live NGPF Virtual PD sessions, one-hour NGPF On-Demand modules, 10-hour NGPF Certification Courses, Saturday conferences, and in-person FinCamps. 

The NGPF Academy recognizes educators who participate in NGPF professional development. Teachers earn achievements as their credit hours accumulate. You are automatically enrolled in the NGPF Academy when you participate in any of our PD offerings.

Congratulations to the following teachers for their active participation in NGPF professional development, placing them in the top 1% of NGPF Academy hours earned.

Every educator listed here completed 100 or more hours of PD in the 24-25 year.

Valedictorian goes to Valerie Jackson of Beaufort High in South Carolina, who leads with 211 PD hours!

Salutatorian goes to Samantha Gambles of Hill Freedman World Academy in Pennsylvania with 192 PD hours.

Aishah Muhammad International Islamic Academy (MI)

Amanda Lowe Russellville High School AR

Amanda Lucero Alamo Heights HS (TX)

Amanda Savidge East Career And Technical Academy HS (NV)

Andrea Moore Westerville-North High School (OH)

Brigette Trusal Punxsutawney Area HS (PA)

Carol Wolgamot Great Bridge High (VA)

Cecilia Suarez Shadow Ridge HS (NV)

Chad Lower Laurel Springs School (CA)

Chelsea Pollock Prairie Seeds High School Academy (MN)

Christopher Morales Fort Myers High School (FL)

Christy Benway Ocali Charter Middle School (FL)

Dave White Evit - Chaparral High School (AZ)

Erick Ekker Miller Bob MS (NV)

Glenda Lewis Astravo Online Academy High School (CO)

Heather Clarkson Kahler Middle School (IN)

Heather Menzel South Brunswick High (NC)

Heidi Arbuckle Lied Stem Academy MS (NV)

Hieu Nguyen Central High (Continuation) (CA)

Holly Benton Nonprofit Employee

James Childree Polk State College Collegiate High School (FL)

Jeff Venables Northwestern High (SC)

Jennifer Poe Pittsburg HS (TX)

Julia Baxter Career And Academic Development Institute (PA)

Julie Hyatt Nonprofit Employee

Julie Oglesby Horizons High School (KS)

Kaley Newcomer

Kendra Husband Carrie P. Meek/Westview K-8 Center (FL)

Khaleisheia Jones Redwood Continuation High (CA)

Kimberly Jones Mastery Cs-Gratz Campus (PA)

Kim Ervin Jefferson High School (MO)

Kristin Mullin Bishop Blanchet High School (WA)

Lany Moore Yb Columbus Community School (OH)

Linda Ta Yonemoto

Lynnea Moore Academy Of Finance And Enterprise (NY)

Mason Renfer Chaparral High School (AZ)

Megan Sullivan Central High School (ND)

Michele Davis Angola High School (IN)

Mike Aday Hudson Academy (FL)

Monica Cummings Goshen High School (IN)

Nathan Sutch Charter School For Applied Technologies (NY)

Nikki Slack

Phoebe Price Sierra Academy Of Expeditionary Learning (CA)

Rebecca Myers Warwick SHS (PA)

Robert Baines North High School (AZ)

Rosey Ok Fly Initiative (RI)

Sammi Jo Culbertson

Sandra Cary Macarthur Middle School (IL)

Stephanie Phelix Belle Forest Community School (TN)

Steven Buford Del Sol Academy Of Performing Arts HS (NV)

Tara Micham J C Harmon High (KS)

Tera Burch Billings West High School (MT)

Thomas Glen Arts High School (NJ)

Tonia Thompson Jim Thorpe Area HS (PA)

About the Author

Hannah Rael

As NGPF's Marketing Communications Manager, Hannah (she/her) helps spread the word about NGPF's mission to improve the financial lives of the next generation of Americans.

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