Horizon Honors Elementary School Selected as Finalist for National Institute for Excellence in Teaching’s Founder’s Award, $10,000 Cash Prize
March 12, 2026
School one of five nationwide recognized for outstanding efforts to foster educator excellence and advance student success, contending for a $50,000 grand prize
Phoenix, Ariz. (March 12, 2026) - The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) announced today that Horizon Honors Elementary School in Horizon Honors Schools, Arizona, won $10,000 for its selection as an NIET Founder’s Award finalist. The prestigious Founder’s Award was created by Lowell Milken in 2008 to honor one school in the United States each year for exceptional implementation of NIET’s principles to build educator excellence and advance student success. Horizon Honors Elementary School is among five schools nationwide under consideration for the $50,000 grand prize, which will be announced at NIET’s national conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, on April 1, 2026.
“We commend Principal Laura Wanstreet, Horizon Honors Schools Executive Director Paul Schneider, and the staff for the success of Horizon Honors Elementary School,” said NIET Founder Lowell Milken. “Strong opportunities for teacher leadership and daily support have resulted in a positive learning environment for teachers and students.”
Founder’s Award finalists are selected by NIET based on several factors, including improving classroom instruction, creating high-quality professional learning focused on the real-time needs of teachers and students, and engaging teacher leaders and school leaders in building a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
Improvements in classroom instruction at Horizon Honors Elementary School have led to higher student achievement. From 2023 to 2025, Horizon Honors Elementary outpaced the state in the percentage of students scoring Proficient on state assessments in both English Language Arts (ELA) and math. The percentage of Horizon Honors Elementary School students scoring Proficient increased from 69% to 74% in ELA and from 53% to 56% in math. During this time, the statewide percentage of students scoring Proficient in ELA remained at 40% in ELA and dropped to 33% in math. Reflecting its increases in student proficiency, Horizon Honors Elementary School has maintained an “A” letter grade since 2023.
“Horizon Honors Elementary School is a remarkable example of the power of teacher leadership,” said NIET Chief Executive Officer Dr. Joshua Barnett. “The differentiated support that teacher leaders provide has transformed the school culture and increased student outcomes.”
What Makes Horizon Honors Elementary School Unique?
Located in Phoenix, Arizona, Horizon Honors Elementary School educates almost 800 students ranging from kindergarten through sixth grade. The school implements NIET’s best practices, including creating teacher leadership roles, protecting time for job-embedded professional learning, and strengthening instruction via individualized coaching and feedback for teachers. With these structures in place, Principal Wanstreet and her leadership team have fostered an environment in which teachers and students are supported to achieve success.
At Horizon Honors Elementary School, master and mentor teachers lead professional learning, guide teachers through coaching cycles, and help refine instructional strategies in classrooms. Teacher leaders strengthen the schoolwide culture of continuous improvement, resulting in increased teacher satisfaction and retention.
“Teacher leadership is especially motivating to our young teachers as they know they have a career pathway here,” said Wanstreet. “The structures we have in place, including mentor and master teacher roles and protected collaborative time, have been key to creating that pathway.”
Teacher leaders at Horizon Honors Elementary School join school leaders on the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT). Introducing the ILT has built educator capacity and transformed instruction at the school, providing Principal Wanstreet with a team of people to support instructional excellence.
“NIET’s structures have helped us build and sustain leadership capacity over time,” said Wanstreet. “Our master teachers guide critical conversations and address needs, and work with mentor teachers to field test strategies and then bring them to the classroom once they show student growth. The Instructional Leadership Team impacts more teachers than I could on my own, and helps keep our vision across the school.”
With guidance from the ILT, Horizon Honors Elementary School’s teachers and students are thriving. Teachers at Horizon Honors Elementary feel supported and valued, and the school now has a positive reputation in the community as being growth-oriented and focused on student outcomes.
“Motivation at Horizon Honors comes from seeing student impact,” said Wanstreet. “When teachers experience growth in their practice and see corresponding growth in their students, they are naturally motivated to continue improving. NIET structures make that connection visible. This helps teachers transparently communicate successes and areas for growth to their students and their students’ families.”
Horizon Honors Elementary School joins fellow finalists Marthaville Elementary & Junior High School (Natchitoches Parish School Board, Louisiana); Northview Middle School (Metropolitan School District of Washington Township, Indiana); Riverwalk Academy (South Carolina Public Charter School District, South Carolina); and Sorrento Primary School (Ascension Public Schools, Louisiana) in contention for the $50,000 Founder’s Award grand prize.
About NIET
The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) is a national nonprofit based in Arizona that serves states and districts nationwide. For 25 years, NIET has partnered with schools, districts, states, and universities to build educator excellence and give all students the opportunity for success. NIET’s initiatives, including the TAP System, teacher and leader development, school improvement, rubric and observation systems, and educator preparation, have impacted more than 350,000 educators and 3.5 million students across the U.S.