- December 13, 2025
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For Kathleen Brown, a Braden River Middle School math teacher, Nov. 20 was an ordinary day, except she was running late to her first period class due to a training session.
When she opened the door to her classroom, she was greeted by not only her students, but a crowd of people in green shirts.
It was the Excellence in Education Prize Patrol, which had come to let her know she has been named a finalist for the Manatee County Educator of the Year award.
Brown was handed an award, a bouquet of flowers, and balloons. She said she is not one to be speechless, but she was struggling to find the words.
“I was just in complete shock,” Brown said. “It was an amazing gesture. I don't even know if I remembered to smile, because it was very unexpected.”
Brown did in fact smile as she absorbed the moment. Kimberlain Zenon, the principal at Braden River Middle, said Brown deserved the recognition and that she was proud to have her represent the school.
Zenon described Brown as solution-driven, tenacious, knowledgeable, collaborative and creative. She said she has a mindset based on growth for both her students and herself as a lifelong learner.
“I could go on and on about Mrs. Kathleen Brown and the tremendous work she does for the students, staff, parents and community of Braden River Middle School. But I will let everyone see for themselves,” Zenon said.
There are four finalists each for Manatee County Educator of the Year and Manatee County Educational Support Employee of the Year. Three finalists represent East County — Brown, Braden River High band teacher Clifford Dawson and Lakewood Ranch High registrar Kristen Martin.
Dawson was the first stop on the Education Prize Patrol tour. He emphasized the importance of creating a community through band, not only with his students but with the families and volunteers.
“Regardless of what happens after this, the validation that what I've been doing has merit and value is definitely rewarding enough,” Dawson said. “Knowing that what I've said and done at this point matters enough for those people to come together to do all this means everything to me.”
"Pirate Nation is thrilled for Clifford to be recognized as a finalist,” said Wendell Butler, the principal at Braden River High. “He's extremely dedicated and creates an environment where our musicians can grow and succeed."
There is a process each school's staff goes through when someone is nominated. That includes answering questions, providing documentation, references and more. The nominees are judged by past teachers of the year in Manatee County, “The A Team.”
“I made the decision to do it not for myself, but for the kids,” Dawson said. “I feel like they have done enough work since I've been here to earn the right to know that the teacher they have in front of them is doing the right thing.”
Stacy Freeman of McNeal Elementary won Manatee County Educator of the Year last year and is currently involved in the decision making process. Along with six other past winners, she uses guidelines for scoring from the state.
“It's okay to be proud of yourself,” Freeman said. “There are a lot of teachers and it's hard for us to think highly of ourselves, it's just not really in our nature. We're pulling for our kids and our students and don't want to take credit for ourselves. It's a whole community, but it's okay to be proud of yourself, and to promote this amazing career that we have, and this calling to be a teacher.”
While the Educator of the Year finalists are chosen by past winners, there is a separate committee within the district that decides on support staff finalists.
Martin is the only East County finalist for Manatee County Educational Support Employee of the Year and has been working at Lakewood Ranch for four years. She plays an important role in getting students enrolled and transferred.
“I work hard to build a relationship with the families as they come in and my goal is to make it as easy and as stress-free as possible for the families and the students,” Martin said. “Coming into high school is a big change for everybody.”
She said she isn’t usually one who enjoys the spotlight, but thinks it’s important for those who work behind the scenes to get recognition.
“I think it's good to just put yourself out there and let people see who you are and what you do,” Martin said. “Everybody deserves to be recognized.”
Dustin Dalquist, the principal at Lakewood Ranch High, said Martin is the best registrar in the business and is deserving of such an award.
“Kristen’s role is critical in managing the complex and high-volume demands of our student population,” Dalquist said. “Her meticulous attention to detail, organizational expertise, and unwavering commitment to accuracy ensures that every student’s academic journey is supported with care and precision.”
There will be one Manatee County winner for the educator and one for the support employee. Both awards will be announced at the Excellence in Education Awards on Feb. 4 at Manatee Technical College. The winner for the Educator of the Year will go on to compete statewide.
“Of course I want to win, but winning isn't going to matter too much,” Dawson said. “It'd be nice if it happens and I'll be really happy about that, but I'll also be incredibly happy for whoever is chosen. All the teachers that are selected in this process have been doing great work and they all deserve to be noticed and validated for what it they do.”
