Joy Hopkins and Megan Palka Receive Second Step Educator of the Year Award
With a strong emphasis on student well-being and teacher resilience, global nonprofit and leading social-emotional learning provider Committee for Children has selected Farragut Elementary School Principal Joy Hopkins and Social Worker Megan Palka as 2024 recipients of its distinguished Second Step® Educator of the Year Awards.
As the only award of its kind in the industry, Second Step® honors educators who are setting new standards in social-emotional practices that support academics and drive meaningful, lasting change in their school communities.
Joy and Megan were selected for their demonstrated ability to build a supportive learning environment where students thrive socially, emotionally, and academically. Their work implementing Second Step programs, the leading research-based social-emotional learning curricula for Early Learning through Grade 12, has supported students in developing critical life skills, well-being, and academic success at Farragut Elementary School.
Seven individuals were celebrated at Committee for Children’s Second Step Educator of the Year awards ceremony on the Second Step YouTube channel on November 7, 2024 for their influential contributions to the social-emotional development and well-being of students.
As Second Step Educator of the Year award winners, Joy Hopkins and Megan Palka join a prestigious list of K–12 educators supporting children’s development of essential life skills — like communication, perseverance and problem-solving — that will support success in the classroom and throughout their lives.
“We are so proud of Joy and Megan for receiving this prestigious award,” said Joliet Public Schools District 86 Superintendent Dr. Theresa Rouse, “The Second Step social-emotional learning program has helped improve student engagement and academic performance across the District.”