Meet Our 2023 Crystal Apple Award Winner

Naomi Devers is the epitome of a dedicated, passionate and compassionate educator.

And now she's something else, too: a Crystal Apple Award winner!

Devers, a family and consumer science teacher at Kennewick High School, has been chosen as Kennewick School District's Crystal Apple Award recipient for 2023.

Superintendent Dr. Traci Pierce recently surprised her with the news, saying that Devers "uses her knowledge, her wisdom, and her caring heart to make everyone and everything around her better."

The teacher will be honored on March 9 at a ceremony at Educational Service District 123 in Pasco.

Devers has been at Kennewick High School since 2008, and she's made a big impact.

Here's what one student had to say about her:

“Mrs. Devers has changed so many lives with her bright smile, her dedication, and her never-ending patience with her students. She has given me guidance not only in my studies but in my personal life and my life after high school. I have never felt more understood and accepted by another teacher,” the student said.

Devers also has made a mark districtwide, serving on committees and acting as a touchstone and resource for colleagues. She led the charge to bring back our Teaching Academy program, and she was integral in setting up a partnership with Washington State University Tri-Cities and creating the Teaching Bridge program.

One colleague said, “(Devers) is a true Crystal Apple teacher in every way!”

Congratulations on being our Crystal Apple Award winner!