Ron Bagwell, Educator Honoree
Ron is a fifth-grade teacher at Forest Hills Elementary completing his 30th year as an educator. He runs the school’s fifth-grade leadership group, which among other things has organized Turkey Drives for the needy and raised funds for the annual graduation party. He leads the “Box Tops for Education” fundraiser yearly, which has raised more than $20,000 for school-related projects. His “Pennies for Patients” program has raised nearly $18,000 to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fight blood cancers in children. Ron states, “I try to set an example for the children that we can’t always help everyone, but we can always help someone in need. We must all be willing to give something back.”
Steve Coury, Educator Honoree
Steve, a graduate of Lakeridge High School, played and coached football at the college and professional level before returning to Lake Oswego to guide the Lakers. Steve is being honored for the role he plays in the school’s fundraisers for the ALS Foundation, Friends of Jeff, and for “encouraging students to think outside of themselves, to be uncommon and to live with integrity.” Steve’s teams have raised funds and participated in the ALS Walk for years in a tribute to longtime coach Jeff Young, who has lived with the debilitating disease for decades. Those efforts rose to a new level this year, bringing in more than $40,000 through a series of events and activities.
Rollin Dickinson, Educator Honoree
Rollin became the principal of Lake Oswego High School in 2016. Rollin is being honored for the committed work he has done to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion at LOHS, especially in the face of racist and anti-Semitic events that rocked the school during his first few months on the job. Leading by example, Rollin has worked with student leaders to give ownership and empowerment to create change. Rollin stated, “I believe we share a moral imperative to help create a culture in which we learn to be big in the face of meanness; a place where all students are safe, challenged, supported and welcomed; a school where we are heroically kind.”
Adam Johnson, Educator Honoree
Adam has taught choir at Lake Oswego Junior High for three years and at Lakeridge High School for one year. He is being honored for revitalizing the choir program at both schools and eliminating the barriers to any child who wants to join. Adam was nominated by a mother who expressed gratitude for “the total inclusion of my son, both on stage, at concerts, and with his experience in the classroom on a daily basis.” Adam is passionate about the role music plays in the lives of all children, and he strives to give his students a diverse musical experience.
Candee Swenson, Educator Honoree
Candee has worked with special needs students for the past 21 years. She is currently a special education assistant in the Pathways program at Lake Oswego Junior High. She has created The Coffee Cart at the school, which is a hands-on educational experience for students to practice academic, social, behavioral, and language skills. Students are involved in every aspect of the cart, from shopping for supplies to serving coffee with a smile. Through it all, Candee adapts the program to make sure it fits individual students’ sensory, communication, and physical needs. Candee says that “serving others warms my heart and brings me pure happiness, especially when I see what a difference it makes.”