3 outstanding teachers earn 2026 Crystal Apple honors. Why they won
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- Kennewick, Pasco and Richland school districts announce their 2026 Crystal Apple winners.
- Awards highlight instruction quality, creativity and positive learning impact.
- Winners are nominated for Washington State Teacher of the Year and get prizes.
School districts have begun announcing winners of the 28th annual Tri-City Crystal Apple Awards for Excellence in Education.
The awards aim to recognize just a few of the tireless and extraordinary efforts of educators who make a positive, lasting impact on students. Recipients also show a knack for creativity, provide high quality instruction and foster positive learning environments.
Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, so far, have announced their winners. Educational Service District 123 hosts the awards, and will reveal later this month the full-slate of 2026 Mid-Columbia winners, including for Columbia-Burbank, Finley, Kiona-Benton City, North Franklin, Othello and Prosser.
The Crystal Apple Awards is a proud tradition in Southeastern Washington, and is one of the region’s most prestigious achievements for classroom educators.
Kennewick kindergarten teacher
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A Westgate Elementary School kindergarten teacher with 14 years of classroom experience was selected as Kennewick’s Crystal Apple winner.
Staff say Kori Cannon creates a learning environment where students feel safe, valued and excited to learn. She’s known for her passion and innovative approach to teaching, for her lessons emphasizing creativity, and for promoting engagement and meaningful connections.
Kennewick Superintendent Lance Hansen said Cannon represents “the very best” of their district.
“Her commitment to student success and her ability to create a supportive, engaging classroom make her truly deserving of this recognition,” Hansen said in a statement.
Cannon has also been recognized as the district’s 2026 Elementary Teacher of the Year.
Pasco longtime teacher
A Maya Angelou Elementary School special education teacher with more than three decades of services to her district is Pasco School District’s Crystal Apple winner.
Elisabeth Copsey has served the district since 1993, and has dedicated her career to meeting students where they are and helping them grow academically, socially and emotionally.
Staff know Copsey for “creating calm, supportive and inclusive” classroom environments, where students are encouraged to be themselves.
Maya Angelou Principal Diana Cissne said it’s clear that Copsey’s work is rooted in an unwavering service to students.
“She is patient, deeply knowledgeable and continuously seeks new learning to better support her students. Her classroom reflects thoughtful planning, flexibility and a true commitment to student success,” Cissne said in a statement.
One parent of a former student said Copsey’s influence helped shape their child’s confidence and set the foundation for longterm success. The teacher focused on her student’s ability to grow and their strengths, instead of their learning deficits.
Copsey also helps guide the next generation of educators as a mentor teacher with the Washington Education Association
Richland life skills teacher
A life skills special education teacher who worked more than a decade for Richland School District is a 2026 Crystal Apple winner.
Nicole Tamura works with Richland High students of varying abilities and teaches functional, everyday skills. The goal is to help all students become more independent in real-world settings.
“Education is not just a profession for Nicole, but a calling,” special education coordinator Amanda Rexford said in a statement. “She models professionalism, kindness, and integrity, strengthening every team she is part of.”
Staff say she demonstrates exceptional care in maintaining a constructive, supportive and engaging learning environment.
She is endlessly creative in her use of classroom resources and curriculum, and designs activities and spaces that ensure every student can receive meaningful instruction.
One example is the school’s coffee cart delivery program. It raises money for her classroom and provides her students with daily opportunities to interact with staff, build relationships and develop confidence and a sense of responsibility.
Tamura “demonstrates an unwavering belief in every child’s ability to succeed,” said Richland High special education teacher Natilee Ruiz.
Crystal Apple Award
Crystal Apple recipients in years past have received cash prize, certificates, the glass-blown award and numerous other gifts.
Each winner is also submitted as a nominee to the Washington State Teacher of the Year program. Those nominations for the 2027 program closes March 2.
Pasco High School bilingual mathematics teacher Gabriela Whitemarsh was a 2025 Crystal Apple winner who went the distance. She went on to become both ESD 123 Regional Teacher of the Year and was named Washington’s State 2026 Teacher of the Year this last fall.
The Crystal Apple was founded in 1999 and sought to honor the education profession as a whole by identifying a few of the many regional educators who go the extra mile for students.
The nonprofit Dream Builder’s Educational Foundation has managed the awards since 2010.
