CWU Alumna Named Educator Of The Year In Oregon

March 11, 2004

Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail: loweryr@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash.-- Central Washington University graduate Crystal R. (Davis) Wilson has been named Educator of the Year for the Hermiston (Oregon) School District. She admits to being "very surprised" when she found out about the honor, which came during a staff meeting focusing on state legislative issues, led by Jerry Wilson, Hermiston School District superintendent, who is not related to Crystal.

"It just about knocked me off my chair," she says. "I really had to replay it in my mind before I realized what had happened. It was something I never thought was possible. It's quite an honor because Hermiston is a highly-qualified district."

Jerry Wilson adds, "When I have had the opportunity to observe the classes Crystal teaches, it was apparent that it would only be a short time until we recognized her as Hermiston School District's Educator of the Year."

In receiving the honor, she was recognized for working closely with staff to help meet the needs of students, especially those who are at risk for failing in school or are experiencing personal difficulties at home; effectively communicating areas of concern with her students' parents, making them more receptive to seeking out help for their children at school; and developing creative ideas for her classroom and the entire school.

Wilson, who teaches third grade at Sunset Elementary School, received her CWU bachelor's degree in elementary education in 1997.

"Central prepared me well," she says. "My minor was special ed. and those classes prepared me for a lot of the students that I'm seeing now, because there's no 'regular' classroom anymore - it's inclusion."

A mother of three, Morgan, 5; Madison, 3; and, D.J., 1; Wilson also coached basketball, but "retired" after her second child was born. She was a member of the women's basketball team while at CWU.

Wilson came to Central after earning an associate of arts degree from Lower Columbia College, in her native Longview, Wash., in 1994. However, her plans at that time were to pursue a career in biology or leisure studies.

"Once I met (her husband) B.J. I decided I didn't want to be on a cruise ship for six months out of the year," she says. "He was looking at education. I had always dreamed of being a teacher but didn't think it was for me. So, I gave it a shot and ended up really liking it. It was my calling."