Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation Announces 2026 Appleton Award Recipients
Three Suncoast Educators Honored for Excellence in Arts Integration
Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Appleton Awards, recognizing educators in the Gulf Coast region who integrate the arts into their classrooms to deepen learning and strengthen community. The winners will be recognized at the Foundation’s Annual Gala on March 6, 2026.
This year’s honorees are Stephanie Cavalier from North Port High School, Mary Ward from Ashton Elementary School, and Teaching Artist Monessa Salley. Each recipient will receive funding to support professional development and classroom innovation and will serve as a 2026 Appleton Merit Scholar, sharing best practices and insights with fellow educators throughout the region. The Appleton Awards are made possible through a legacy gift from Mrs. Louise Appleton, a dedicated local philanthropist who was passionate about connecting arts and education in meaningful ways.
“The Appleton Awards recognize educators who understand the arts are fundamental to how students learn and grow,” said Kelli Maldonado, Executive Director of Mission and Impact. “These teachers are elevating their classrooms by pairing arts skills with strong academic foundations. When we invest in educators at every stage of their careers, we are strengthening our schools and cultivating a generation of learners who think critically, express themselves confidently, and engage meaningfully with the world around them.”
The Emerging Educator Award of $2,500 is presented to Stephanie Cavalier, a culinary arts teacher at North Port High School in her fourth year of teaching. Cavalier approaches food preparation as an artistic discipline, guiding students to examine recipes through the lens of composition, color theory, and structural balance. By applying visual arts principles to plating and presentation, she encourages students to pursue excellence in both flavor and form. Funding from the award will enable Cavalier to attend an advanced Food Styling and Plating Workshop to bring elevated techniques directly back to her students.
The Experienced Educator Award of $5,000 is awarded to Mary Ward, who has dedicated 41 years to education and currently teaches kindergarten through grade 5 science in the lab at Ashton Elementary School. Ward is committed to deepening arts integration within her science curriculum to enhance student engagement and comprehension. Through this award, she will attend professional development events, including The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM Conference, gaining new strategies to enrich the way students explore and understand scientific concepts.
The Outstanding Teaching Artist Award of $5,000 goes to Monessa Salley, an Afro-Fusion dance instructor at Booker High School and a teaching artist who works with the Foundation, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, and Girls, Inc. Salley also performs with Sarasota Contemporary Dance Company. Inspired by rhythm, culture, community, and dance as a universal language, Salley has taught students of all ages and backgrounds for two decades. Award funding will allow her to expand her collection of teaching materials, including books, classroom supplies, and arts-based learning resources, strengthening the residencies and workshops she leads across the community.
For more information, visit PerformingArtsFoundation.org/Appleton.
About Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation
Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation’s mission is to create and sustain a vibrant performing arts center, advance education, and enrich communities by inspiring minds through the power of the arts. Since 1987, the Foundation has partnered with the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall to bring arts education to more than 40,000 students and families annually across five counties. Today, the Foundation continues this commitment while leading the vision for a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center in partnership with the City of Sarasota, the Bay Park Conservancy, and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. PerformingArtsFoundation.org