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Sixteen Frenship educators, one from each Frenship ISD school, were nominated by their campus for the honor. Through the selection process, Sarah Denning was chosen to represent the district as Frenship ISD’s overall nominee for the LCU Distinguished Educator.
As Denning was teaching, surrounding students gathered in the hallway, eager to help reveal the surprise that she received the LCU award. Principal Rebecca Whipkey made the announcement, and students cheered and celebrated with Denning as she received balloons and a certificate.
“Frenship is amazing, I've learned so much from the wonderful educators here. To be chosen to represent the district is just an honor that I can't explain,” said Denning.
LCU presents this award each year to outstanding educators across Lubbock County to recognize their hard work, dedication, and the lasting impact they make on their students’ lives.
When it came time to nominate a teacher, Principal Whipkey knew exactly who to recommend.
“Mrs. Denning is one of the most creative and dedicated educators I've had the privilege of working with. She teaches 7th-grade Reading and Language Arts and brings an incredible amount of energy, innovation, and care to her classroom every single day,” said Whipkey.
After a career in marketing and journalism, Denning felt called to enter the classroom. Having several family members who are educators, she felt excited to enter a fulfilling field.
“This is my eighth-year teaching, and I really felt like it was the right path. I'm so happy here. Frenship is amazing, my kids are amazing, and every day I know I made the right choice,” said Denning.
Whipkey praises Denning for her exceptional ability to spark curiosity and inspire a love of learning in her students.
“What sets Sarah Denning apart is her ability to make learning come alive for her students. She does not just teach reading and writing-she builds experiences around them,” said Whipkey. “One recent example was when she invited a local attorney to her class to help students understand how to cite evidence and evaluate which pieces are the strongest. She gave each group a legal case in which both sides were presented. The group had to decide which side they agreed with and why. It was a brilliant way to connect classroom skills to real-world thinking, and her students were fully engaged."
Denning’s service and positive impact goes well beyond the classroom. In 2024, Denning was named the Teacher of the Year for Alcove Trails and went on to win the overall Frenship ISD Teacher of the Year award. From there, Denning was selected as the Region 17 Secondary Teacher of the Year, out of 60 public school districts across Region 17.
As a published author of two books, Denning took her love of writing and established the Tigers Writers’ Club to provide her students with a creative outlet to express themselves. Inspired by her work, Dennings’s students became published authors, and their book is available for other students to read at the Alcove Trails library.
“I am continually impressed by Mrs. Denning's commitment to grow as an educator. She holds herself to the highest standard, believing that every student can achieve 100% mastery-and if they do not, she takes it as a personal call to improve,” said Whipkey. "She regularly reflects on her instruction, collaborates with our instructional coach to explore new strategies, and constantly refines her approach to meet the diverse needs of her students. Her dedication to professional growth is matched only by her passion for helping students succeed.”
As Denning reflects, she couldn't help but feel thankful and blessed to receive the LCU Distinguished Educator Award.
“I'm so grateful for these kids, for the teachers that I work with every day, and especially for my administration and the support that we receive from everybody at Central Office. We have the greatest team that comes together every day to make education the best thing it can be for our kids, and we're just so happy to be here," said Denning.
Denning will now be in the running against the other area Distinguished Educators for LCU’s top recognition, the Excellence in Teaching Award. The award winner will be announced during a special ceremony in the spring. In addition to earning the prestigious title, the winner will also receive $1,000.
Congratulations, Sarah Denning! We are happy to have you representing Frenship ISD as the Lubbock Christian University Distinguished Educator!