November 24, 2025- The Rapid City Public School Foundation celebrates Rapid City Area Schools employees who demonstrate excellence every day. Through the Above and Beyond program, staff, students and parents may nominate district staff who go “above and beyond.” Then, twice a year, the Foundation board randomly draws cards out of hundreds of submissions, and winners receive $50 cash as a prize. Last week, thanks to our sponsor, Black Hills Community Bank, we visited 40 staff from 26 different district locations to help celebrate American Education Week and gave out over $2,000. We had a record of 428 submissions and Stevens High School submitted the most at 169 submissions and won cookies for the staff!
We were excited to celebrate teachers, counselors, building and grounds, literacy teachers, special education teachers, social workers, secretaries, interventionists, culinary specialists, paraprofessionals, librarians, youth engagement coordinators and nurses from across the school district. The staff were so grateful, happy, and surprised by the caring and compassionate words written about them from their co-workers. A few recipients even shed tears of happiness when we announced their names and read their cards. It was a great way to head into the Thanksgiving break.
The next Above and Beyond drawing will be held in early May. The Rapid City Public School Foundation is grateful to have hundreds and hundreds of Above and Beyond cards submitted and the recipients of the Above and Beyond prizes were the following:
Crystal Moulton: Black Hawk
Jessica Kenney: Black Hawk
Virginia Moncrieff: East Middle School
Jennifer Seals: East Middle School
Abby Bailor: East Middle School
Dani Tveter: General Beadle
Dawson Penticoff: General Beadle
Connie Hansen: Horace Mann
Dylan Payne: Horace Mann
Teresa Kellar: Knollwood
Cat Ohlfs: Knollwood
Roxy Bell: Knollwood
Jodi Massie: Meadowbrook
Angie Buskerud: Print Shop
Bri Arity: Robbinsdale
Michelle Almond: Robbinsdale
Sarah Uhl: South Middle School
Monica Fuhrmann: South Middle School
Tasha Wilkinson: South Middle School
Connie Johns: Southwest Middle School
Sandra Gillam: Stevens High School
Brian Fiedler: Stevens High School
Hailey Hall: Stevens High School
Joe Wilt: Stevens High School
Emma Hobson: Stevens High School
Robert Beyer: Stevens High School
Cody English: Stevens High School
Matt James: Stevens High School
Benita Engle: Stevens High School
Bob Julius: Stevens High School
April Malik: Stevens High School
Bonnie Larson: Stevens High School
Darren Paulson: Stevens High School
Daniel Skinner: Stevens High School
Louise Hendricks: Valley View
Nancy Bishop: Valley View
Jackie Richards: Valley View
Madlyn Westra: West Middle School
Josi Hower: Wilson
Tara Karn: Wilson