Tucson Values Teachers awarded Vailโ€™s Sycamore Elementary School second-grade teacher Patricia Dorgan with Novemberโ€™s Teacher Excellence Award.

Tucson Values Teachers awarded their November Teacher Excellence Award to Sycamore Elementary School second-grade teacher Patricia Dorgan, in Vail School District. Dorgan has taught at Sycamore since the school opened 17 years ago, according to a news release.

โ€œIt is no wonder all her kiddos love her,โ€ said parent Peniel Macias, who nominated Dorgan for the award. โ€œShe leaves a lifelong impact on her tiny learners.โ€

Dorgan is responsible for the schoolโ€™s monthly Family Reading Night, the Community Service Club and student book clubs, the new release said.

Every month, Tucson Values Teachers selects a Southern Arizona teacher as the Teacher Excellence Award recipient to receive $250 from the Helios Education Foundation, a $100 gift card for classroom materials, as well as school supplies.

To nominate a teacher go to TucsonValuesTeachers.org.

New program works to plant more trees

Volunteers gathered at Davis Bilingual Elementary Magnet School on Saturday, Dec. 7, for a tree-planting event as part of the new conserve reduced emissions fuel program.

Circle K launched the program โ€œto give back to the Tucson community during the holiday season,โ€ a news release said. The company partnered with local nonprofits Trees for Tucson and Tucson Clean and Beautiful to plant in areas where there are low tree counts.

โ€œThe Circle K Conserve program offers Tucsonans an excellent opportunity to help better our community,โ€ said Katie Gannon, executive director of Tucson Clean and Beautiful.


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Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223. On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara