Evergreen Academy Elementary School in Bothell announced that its principal and one of its teachers received national recognition by Evergreen Academy’s parent organization, Nobel Learning Communities, Inc. (NLCI).

Principal Whitney Ball was named NLCI’s K-12 Principal of the Year, and educator Amy Morey received the K-12 Teacher of the Year award. The awards were formally presented to Ball and Morey at NLCI’s national principal conference in Atlantic City, N.J., last month. This is the first time a principal and teacher from the same school have received these awards in the same year.

The Principal of the Year award is presented annually to the principal who stands out among NLCI’s schools across the country for inspiring and motivating both students and staff. Ball, who has been with Evergreen Academy for more than 17 years, was selected for her exceptional leadership, coupled with her drive to ensure every student is provided with an opportunity to learn and grow academically, socially and emotionally.

As K-12 Teacher of the Year, Morey was honored for her creativity in the classroom through project-based learning. She designed and continues to orchestrate the school’s farmer’s market and has helped other teachers tie classroom gardens into their science and social studies curricula. Along with the title K-12 Teacher of the Year and an all-expenses-paid trip to the national conference in Atlantic City, N.J., Morey, who has taught at Evergreen for three years, received a cash award and a round-trip airline ticket to anywhere in the U.S.

“We are thrilled to have both a principal and educator at Evergreen Academy receive such prestigious awards in the same year, and congratulate them both on this well-deserved achievement,” Kathleen Maroney, Executive Director for Evergreen Academy, said in a press release. “Whitney is such a caring and warm person who leads through example and partnership. Amy’s passion is contagious, and she is committed to ensuring each of her students receives the best educational experience.”

Evergreen Academy Elementary School is located at 16017 118th Place NE in Bothell. The school offers elementary school for kindergarten through fifth grade, before and after care, and summer camp for families living in the Bothell area.