- Utah teachers and businesses saluted at annual "Honors in Education" gala.
- Gov. Spencer Cox joined first lady Abby Cox in a united call for statewide literacy.
- Hope Eccles presented the 2026 Deseret News Educator Advocate Award.
“Grateful” was a word Utah first lady Abby Cox used often Tuesday as she stood in front of a vast ballroom filled with many of the state’s most dedicated teachers and education advocates.
“I am so grateful again for the teachers in my life — for the educators that I see here tonight, for the educators that I speak to every single day who inspire me, and for the educators that inspired my own children,” said Cox at the conclusion of the fourth annual Honors in Education Gala at The Grand America.
Educating Utah’s children, she added, goes beyond simply instruction happening inside classrooms. Teaching kids occurs when all in the community “are willing to pull together and make sure that our children have the best possible future.”
Hosted by the Deseret News and its presenting sponsor Ken Garff for Good and the Robert H. and Katharine B. Garff Foundation, the gala celebrates the state’s outstanding educators — and the businesses that support them.
Twenty Utah educators from a variety of professional disciplines and regions were honored Tuesday — including Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Nadine Ruth Curtis, a drama teacher and director at Roy High School.
The Deseret News also awarded civic and community leader C. Hope Eccles with its Educator Advocate Award.
Meanwhile, six businesses were honored Tuesday for their support of Utah education.
Deseret News Publisher Burke Olsen said in his welcome remarks that the Honors in Education Gala prompts personal memories of the many believing teachers who placed him on an ongoing quest for a life of learning.
“Tonight we’re thrilled to express our collective gratitude for Utah’s outstanding educators,” added Olsen.
“And from the nominations for today’s award recipients, we’ve learned even more about the work you do and the challenges you face. We appreciate you and we thank you for your commitment to educating Utah’s youth.
First lady Abby Cox: ‘As a community, let’s come together’
A former special education teacher, Cox was influenced by a family legacy of educators — including her mother and grandmother. Now As part of her civic service, she prioritizes teachers, literacy and inclusion for the state’s children.
It’s a busy week for the first lady. On Thursday, she will be hosting the annual Show Up For Teachers Education Conference as part of her Show Up service initiative.
Given the commitment and capacity of the state’s teachers and education administrators, it’s a hopeful time for Utah’s children, said Cox.
But, she added, there are also grave concerns. Today’s children are witnessing “the worst things in the world every day in front of their face.”
Many are facing trauma they are not equipped to manage.
“In my generation, we didn’t have to see everything happening in the world in our faces and internalize that,” she said.
“You as educators are now getting those students with all that stuff going on in them and all the horrible trauma that they’re seeing around the world every single day — and you’re having to now teach those children in a way that is powerful.”
Parents and communities have a shared duty to remove such danger from our children’s lives, said Cox.
“We have to protect our children, “ she said. “We have to protect our communities from the horrible things that they’re seeing every single day.
“We have to get social media out of their heads and out of their hands. We have to get it out of our schools.
“We have to make sure that our children are coming to school full of anticipation of the good, wonderful things that are in the world.”
Literacy and reading a book daily, she added, must be part of every Utah child’s life to help protect them from the trauma the world sends them. “As a community, let’s come together and make sure that our children have what they need to succeed. To be readers. To be the next leaders.”
Gov. Cox calls for ‘lifelong readers’
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox joined his wife Tuesday, thanking teachers for “making Utah a better place.”
In his remarks, the governor recalled his own school teachers that taught lessons that serve him well today — including lessons of resilience and unity.
The country’s founders, Cox noted, understood that an educated public was essential for the survival of America’s experiment in self-government.
“We needed an educated public — people who understood government and learned about history. And, of course, at the base of all of that was literacy. The founders were incredibly well-read, and they expected that the American people would be well-read, as well.”
But reading is becoming something of a lost art across the country, even among well-educated Americans, observed Cox.
“That’s not good for us. Science and research will tell you that we need readers. We need lifelong readers. And, of course, we know that we need readers at a young age. Especially by third grade.”
The governor thanked the first lady, Utah lawmakers and policymakers and local businesses for prioritizing early literacy.
“We have passed some of the most forward-looking legislation anywhere in the country,” said Cox. “We are doing everything possible — (including) new resources and tens of millions of dollars that the Legislature is going to invest in reading coaches in our schools to make sure that every single child can read on grade level and they have the tools they need.”
Why trust is essential is educating Utah kids
Katharine Garff looked out across Tuesday’s ballroom filled with teachers and felt she was “in the midst of royalty.”
“I’ve always felt that being a teacher is the most honorable profession. … I think you’re the best people in the world,” she said during her remarks.
Garff then asked a question she has asked many Utah teachers: “How do you instill trust in those with whom you are associated?”
It’s a query she often poses “because I believe that you are the most trusted people in the world, next to parents.”
Unfortunately, she noted, not all children enjoy healthy influences in their own homes. So teachers are often relied upon to teach character.
Garff spoke of the change that comes in a child’s life when he or she is trusted by a teacher — and when that trust is reciprocated.
“You are the most trusted profession that we have in the world,” she said. “You are in charge of our precious children, our precious grandchildren, the youth of the world, the youth of this country, the youth of this state, the youth of your community.”
Children can be taught all the essential subjects when they trust their teachers and educators. “And most of all,” said Garff,” you can form their character. You can teach them that good people exist around the world.”
An early literacy challenge for all Utahns
After receiving the evening’s Educator Advocate Award, Eccles saluted Utah teachers for selecting a challenging profession that builds lives — and offers opportunities.
“Every day you show up for children,” she said. “You celebrate their successes and you encourage them through their struggles. For that, I am deeply grateful.”
Eccles grew up in a family that prized education. It was the vehicle that would allow her and her siblings to provide for their families, serve their communities “and participate fully in civic life.”
She credited her parents and grandparents for creating a family culture where learning was valued. “They taught us that education enriches individual lives, creates choices, and makes our families and communities stronger.
“I’ve always been interested in education and education policy — and that reinforced my conviction that a strong education system must provide multiple pathways to success.”
Utah’s higher education system is key to the state’s prosperity, she said. But before students can go to college or enter the workforce, they must first learn to read.
“This is one of the most urgent challenges facing Utah today because less than half of our third graders read proficiently at grade level, and the implications are profound,” said Eccles. “When children do not develop strong literacy skills by third grade, the effects can extend far beyond the classroom — shaping outcomes throughout their lives.”
The good news: Data confirms that all children can learn to read.
“So the question is not whether the children can learn to read — the question is whether we, the adults, are willing to create the programs, incentives, and accountability to ensure that they do,” said Eccles.
“Other states are moving the needle. Utah can too.”
Child literacy, she added, is a civic duty shared by all.
“Together we can create a culture that tells every student and every family: ‘We believe in you. We believe your future matters. We believe in your potential. And we’re committed to helping you succeed’,” Eccles said.
“The same message applies to our educators. We believe in you. We value your expertise. And we are committed to providing the training, coaching, resources, accountability, and support you need to educate our kids.”
Props for many of Utah’s premier educators
Tuesday’s education honorees were each saluted in short video tributes.
Honorees included Weber School District teacher Jenifer Allen, Draper Elementary teacher Amy Brand, Alpine School District special education teacher Sally Cannon, Corner Canyon High School teacher Jared Collette, Nebo School District speech pathologist Mollie Bradley Eddy, Davis School District teacher Hollie Fisher, and Utah School for the Deaf and Blind teacher Megan Larsen Gardner.
Also, American Academy of Innovation visual arts teacher Camille Grimshaw, Alpine School District teacher Kandas Hardman, Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind and Skyline High teacher Teresa Lynn Kunde, Davis School District administrative intern Amber Rose McCord, Timpview High School drama teacher Kennedy Napierski, Washington County School District special education teacher Mary Povey, Edith Bowen Laboratory School at Utah State University teacher Shannon S. Rhodes, Utah County Academy of Sciences math teacher Douglas Schiffman, Juab School District teacher Darcee Shepherd, Monticello Academy Ingrid Veldhuis, South Jordan Elementary educator Diane Witt-Roper and Davis School District teacher Ken Wright.
Business honorees included Walmart, Goldener Hirsch/an Auberge Resort, America First Credit Union Charitable Foundation, The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation, Mountain America Credit Union and Evolutionary Martial Arts.
