Burwell Teacher Receives Distinguished Educator Award
May 19, 2021
Burwell Public Schools English teacher Candace Cain has been selected to receive the Freda Battey Distinguished Educator Award presented by the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
The Battey Award honors the life and career of Freda Drath Battey, a 1923 graduate of Nebraska’s Teachers College, and longtime public school teacher in Ashland, Nebraska. Battey’s family established the “Distinguished Educator Award” in her memory in 1986.
The criteria for the award is “excellence in teaching coupled with recognition in other complementary education activities, such as counseling of students or initiation of student-oriented programs.” Candidates for the award are nominated by students in the College of Education and Human Sciences.
Cain has taught at Burwell Public Schools since 2006. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she is the head director for one act play, head speech coach, FCCLA advisor, Poetry Out Loud advisor and serves on various school committees. She is also an adjunct public speaking instructor at Northeast Community College.
Cain was nominated for the award by Blake Mann, a secondary social sciences education major. Mann noted Cain’s efforts to foster his confidence in the classroom, and the encouragement she gives all students to participate in extracurricular activities.
“Ms. Cain’s encouragement would propel my passion for education and love for learning,” Mann wrote. “When I think of what I want to give my students, I think of what Ms. Cain gave to me.”
Connie Piper, retired teacher at Burwell Public Schools, had the privilege of teaching and working with Cain. Piper noted Cain’s abilities to help students recognize that learning is lifelong, and that the skills earned in her English and speech classes will help them fulfill their future goals. She considers Cain a “real model of what an educator should be.”
“Candace’s dedication to her students, her high expectations tempered with love and kindness, and her own role modeling of service to her school, community, state, and nation far exceed most teachers that I have known,” Piper said.
A native of Burwell, Cain earned a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Nebraska.
Cain will receive an inscribed school bell and cash awards for herself and Burwell Public Schools.
