OKEECHOBEE- The Okeechobee County School District recognized employees at their Shooting for the Stars banquet on Jan. 26.

Okeechobee Freshman Campus teacher Kasey McKane-Brown was named the District Teacher of the Year at the event, and Seminole Elementary’s Julisa Sanchez was named School Related Employee of the Year.

“This year’s teacher of the year has high expectations and challenges her students to meet them,” said Superintendent Ken Kenworthy while announcing the award. “Her students say she is funny, smart, and they appreciate her work ethic. She describes her teaching as a ‘work of heart’, because she gives a piece of her heart to the educational process every single day.”

McKane-Brown thanked everyone for their support and added that she didn’t feel like the award belonged to only her.

“I have a very strong team of teachers that I work with, they support me and they teach me,” said McKane-Brown. “I’m so thankful for all of them.”

Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services Dylan Tedders also gave a special shout-out to Kaylee King, business manager for the Okeechobee County Economic Development Corporation. King had previously been instrumental in helping the district develop leadership summer camps and served on this year’s Teacher of the Year selection committee.

“She’s raved about the student leadership potential we’re raising in our schools,” said Tedders. “And during the interview process she was able to hear from the teachers who were responsible for the development of those students. And now she’s able to share those perspectives with her counterparts in the business community.”

McKane-Brown was awarded $5,000 by and Sanchez was awarded $2,500 by MidFlorida Credit Union.