News @ the 112

Eye-catching floral arrangements created by talented Mountain View High School students.

Educational Service District 112 hosted the 2025 Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) Awards Ceremony on May 16, honoring exceptional contributions from educators, students, and community partners throughout southwest Washington.

Held at ESD 112’s Vancouver campus, the event honored the dedication of top regional and statewide recipients to advancing education. Among the awards presented were the WASA Student Leadership Achievement Award, WASA Award of Merit, and Community Leadership Awards.

“What makes our schools truly exceptional isn’t just what happens within our walls, but the incredible community partnerships that extend learning beyond the classroom into real-world impact,” said Mike Nerland, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning at ESD 112.

Student Leadership Awards

Honoring exceptional students who demonstrated outstanding leadership in their schools and communities:

• Julia Stiffler, Battle Ground Public Schools
• Isaac Dennett and Vancouver Public School’s Multilingual Department
• Riley Vaughan, Washougal School District

Community Leadership Awards

Presented to individuals and organizations that have collaborated with local school districts to improve educational opportunities, including:

Regional and State Awards

Twenty-Year Awards

The Twenty-Year Award honors administrators who have dedicated 20 years to public school districts. This year’s recipients included:

• Denny Waters, Battle Ground Public Schools
• Scott Westlund, Kelso School District
• Chris Griffith, Ridgefield School District
• Brett Blechschmidt, Vancouver Public Schools
• Asha Riley, Woodland School District

Back row: Scott Westlund, Kelso School District; Chris Griffith, Ridgefield School District; Brett Blechschmidt, Vancouver Public Schools; Front row: Denny Waters, Battle Ground Public Schools; Asha Riley, Woodland School District

Retirement Awards

The Retirement Award recognizes outstanding service to the education profession. This year’s recipients are:

• Lisa Greseth, Camas School District
• Denny Waters, Battle Ground Public Schools

School Recognition Program

The Washington School Recognition Program, administered by the State Board of Education, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee, honored thirty-five schools in the ESD 112 region for demonstrating exceptional progress in key areas of student success. View full list.

AWSP President’s Award

The Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP) President’s Award honors an individual who exemplifies outstanding leadership and dedication to student success.

Congratulations to this year’s recipient: Erin Lucich, Director of School Improvement & Educational Leadership at ESD 112. Read more about Erin’s award >

WASA Student Achievement Leadership Award

This award recognizes leadership in implementing innovations that lead to measurable growth in student achievement and could serve as models for new programs.

Congratulations to this year’s recipient, Mary Beth Tack of the Kelso School District.

Denny Waters, Battle Ground Public Schools

WASA Award of Merit

The Award of Merit recognizes effective leadership at the regional level and significant contributions to the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA). This year’s recipient is Denny Waters from Battle Ground Public Schools.

About WASA (Washington Association of School Administrators)

The Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) is a professional organization for school leaders that offers leadership, advocacy, and professional development for its members. Like Educational Service District 112, WASA strives to ensure that every student has equal access to educational opportunities and resources.