HOUGHTON — The Copper Country Association of School Boards’ 25th annual Education Awards Dinner was held Wednesday in the Michigan Technological University Memorial Union Ballroom, with more than 150 students, parents, school personnel, community members and local school board members in attendance.

2024 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Student Awards

Adams Township School District: Levi Frahm (Impact)

Baraga Area Schools: Ellie Delene (Leadership)

Public Schools of Calumet, Laurium & Keweenaw: Abraham Perala (Leadership)

Chassell Township Schools: Mason Loukus (Leadership)

Copper Country Intermediate School District Learning Center: Brock Basto (Impact)

CCISD Career Tech: Carter Worm (Leadership)

Copper Island Academy: Brienna Kangas (Leadership)

Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Area Schools: Claudia Torrey (Leadership)

Hancock Public Schools: Sadie Biekkola and Emilie Pierner (Impact)

Houghton-Portage Township Schools: Carson Jackson and Robin Kisiel (Leadership)

Lake Linden-Hubbell School District: Kian Sheridan (Leadership)

L’Anse Area Schools: Akira Koenig (Leadership)

Stanton Township Public Schools: Sela Niska (Leadership)

Outstanding Education Employees

Adams Township: Amanda Andress

Baraga: Stefanie Holley

C-L-K: Maj. Michael Farley

Chassell Township: Mark Ware

CCISD: Scott Wetton

Copper Island Academy: Margaret Hanson and Sara Koivisto

Dollar Bay-Tamarack City: William O’Connor

Hancock: Matthew Griffith

Houghton-Portage Township: Bruce Belmas

Lake Linden-Hubbell: Cathy Witz

L’Anse: April Thor

Stanton Township: Christine Marttila

School Service Awards

Adams Township: ATSD Foundation

Baraga: Kristiina Vanhala

C-L-K: Jean McParlan

Chassell Township: Kellan Heikkila

CCISD: BHK Child Development

Copper Island Academy: Ginny Johnson

Dollar Bay-Tamarack City: Seth Kriz

Hancock: Hancock Athletic Booster Club

Houghton-Portage Township: Shari Tapani

Lake Linden-Hubbell: Catherine Kelley

L’Anse: Anne Koski

Stanton Township: Chrissy Loukus

Copper Country Education Leadership Award

31 Backpacks: This program now provides for more than 450 children weekly with more than 200 bags of food and personal hygiene products being delivered to the schools, as well as two fully stocked pantries serving Horizons Alternative High School, Calumet High School and Washington Middle School. 31 Backpacks provides more than 100,000 meals each year.

“Food insecurity is a thing for far too many students,” Lake Linden-Hubbell Superintendent Brad Codere said in a statement. “The work that 31 Backpacks does to take this concern off of students’ and parents’ minds is invaluable and we are beyond thankful for that. The time and work that 31 Backpacks puts into making sure ‘no child goes hungry’ is not seen and we want to recognize their tireless efforts over all these years. Thank you for all that you do!”