10 Key West High teachers honored with $66,000 in awards

Ten Key West High School educators again turned a summer honor into a $66,000 infusion for Monroe County classrooms. The annual awards, managed by the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, recognize teachers school leaders select for dedication, excellence and commitment to students.

The David Wolkowsky Teachers of Merit Awards have been presented for more than 20 years, carrying forward the legacy of David Wolkowsky, the Key West philanthropist and businessman known as Mr. Key West. Wolkowsky died on Sept. 23, 2018, at age 99, but his name still anchors one of the island school’s most visible traditions.

The recognition is more than ceremonial. The awards are designed to support the kind of daily classroom work that shapes student outcomes, and the school’s administration chooses the honorees each year, making the program a direct nod to educators on the campus itself. In a district where budgets are always watched closely, the additional dollars matter because they help reinforce morale and keep attention on classroom needs.

The Harry and Linda Bryant Award adds another layer of local history. Key West High graduate Liz Wooten-Reschke created the fund in 2020 in memory of her parents, Harry and Linda Bryant, who lived, worked, volunteered and gave to the Keys for more than 40 years. Her mother was a long-time English teacher at Key West High School, and the first grant from the fund went to Spanish teacher Belinda Rodriguez.

Recent awards show how the program has become part of the school’s rhythm. In 2024, social studies teacher Scott Paul was named Teacher of the Year and received $25,000, eight other Teachers of Merit each received $5,000, and reading teacher Stacy Saunders received the $1,000 Harry and Linda Bryant Award. In 2023, 10 Key West High School teachers shared $66,000, including Donna Tedesco, underscoring how often the honor reaches familiar names on the campus.

The larger value goes beyond one check or one school year. In 2022, principal Larry Schmiegel said the honorees’ collective effort helped re-engage students after virtual learning, reduce at-risk students and increase the school’s graduation rate. That is the practical side of the award money, a recurring investment in the teachers who shape daily life at Key West High School and, by extension, in Monroe County.