The
Ezekiel Award
for
Excellence
in
Christian Witness
and
Teaching
Ezekiel Peter Wetlesen, a 2006 graduate of ECA, had the life goals of pursuing a teaching degree in mathematics and then returning to ECA to teach. Due to a brain tumor, Ezekiel was not able to pursue those goals. Therefore, he decided to establish an endowment to encourage and retain excellent teachers of effective Christian witness to teach in Christian schools. Ezekiel’s desire is that proceeds from the endowment provide stipends to award winners to augment their salary for the next year of teaching in a Christian school. This would encourage those teachers and enable them to continue teaching in Christian schools due to reduced financial concerns.
| Objective |
| Encourage and retain excellent teachers of effective Christian witness to continue teaching and witnessing in Christian primary and secondary schools. |
| Criteria |
| * Full-time teacher at ECA or ECA graduate teaching full-time at a primary or secondary Christian school, * Demonstrated effective Christian witness of righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness (1 Tim 6:11) and encourage those qualities in others (students, staff & teachers), * Excellence in teaching as confirmed by peer and student reviews and assisting students to successfully apply their understanding of the subject matter, * Financial need (consideration, but not required) as indicated by student loans or need to work 2nd or 3rd job to support family or himself or herself, * By accepting the stipend, the teacher agrees to teach in a Christian school for the next year. |
| Applications |
| Students, teachers, parents, school administrators and ECA graduates can nominate candidates before the beginning of spring of the academic year. |
| Opinion |
| MORE THAN A BASKET Colorado Springs Gazette, CO – Feb 14, 2006 Deaths of local teens are a reminder to live well Colorado Springs Gazette, CO – Aug 22, 2007 |
| Recipients |
| 2024 – Maggie Cupples The recipient of The Ezekiel Award for effective Christian witness and excellence in teaching for the 2023-2024 school year is Mrs. Maggie Cupples, who teaches the Fourth Grade Class at Evangel Christian Academy (ECA) on the Elementary campus. Mrs. Cupples received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado with a minor in Earth Sciences. She began teaching at ECA in August of 2021. Mrs. Cupples considers it an honor and blessing to be able to teach God’s truth in the classroom at ECA. She takes ECA’s mission to heart to “educate, equip, and empower students to pursue their purpose in Christ.” It is Mrs. Cupples’ prayer that her classroom be one of academic excellence to the glory of God and a place for students to grow in their relationship with Christ. In the nomination package for The Ezekiel Award, a nominator noted that she “truly walks with the Lord throughout the day as her countenance displays His Love in and out of the classroom.” Furthermore, “she has done an outstanding job for the past three years of leading and training students to pursue their purpose in Christ.” Maggie is a Sunday school teacher for 6-9 year-olds and serves on the Child Protection Committee (Ministry Safe) at Black Forest Reformed Church. She is also a volunteer for YMCA youth sports. Finally, “Maggie displays and lives the heart of an encourager. She delights in encouraging students to do their very best for the Lord.” Full List of Recipients |