Alex Ferguson - 2020 Educator Finalist
Alex Ferguson has been teaching Art at Our Lady of the Lake School for ten years. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master’s degree in Art Education. According to the school Vice-Principal, everything Alex does is based on his own initiative and love of art. When it comes to teaching, he doesn’t ask for or expect anything. He provides opportunities and lets the kids come and learn. He has organized an after school art club for students to create projects and he does all of this on his own time just for the love of it. He inspires kids with creativity while teaching the history of the craft, then connects both the creative and historical teachings to the world we live in today. Alex goes above and beyond his job description in selfless ways, keeping his teachings and curriculum refreshed with exciting content.
Jeff Goodrich - 2020 Educator Finalist
Jeff Goodrich teaches Environmental Science, Oceanography, and Geoscience at Lake Oswego High School. He is also the coach of the Ocean Sciences Bowl team at LOHS. The Ocean Sciences Bowl is a national high school science competition managed by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. The LOHS team meets at least once a week to prepare for the national competition. The team focuses on educating students about the oceans and environment, covering topics on physics, chemistry, environmental science and policy, and biology. The Lake Oswego team has been in existence for only a few years, but with Jeff’s help they’ve managed to place in the Northwest Regional competition twice. Multiple participants of the club have gone on to study oceanography or other science-related fields in college.
James Watts - 2020 Educator Finalist
James Watts has been an athletic coach and teacher at Lakeridge High School for more than ten years. His students and colleagues refer to him as “Year Round Educator and Coach” because his commitment to students, staff, athletes, and families knows no bounds. He has built lasting relationships with students, priding himself on clear expectations and holding people —and himself—accountable.