Maria Carrion-Kozak is a highly admired Spanish teacher at Rifle High School and throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. She was given the Jackie Morales Award, sponsored by La Mision and Latino Americanos Unidos at the Latin American festival in Carbondale on Aug. 23. The award is given to a Latin American teacher demonstrating the desire to improve the quality of our community. Carrion-Kozak was surprised and very proud to receive the prestigious Jackie Morales award. The award was even more special to her because Jackie Morales was a dear friend, and Carrion-Kozak admired Morales’ work. Carrion-Kozak said, “I want my students to recognize that they are able to do it. In Spanish, we have an expression that says: “Si se puede,” “Yes you can.” We all encounter obstacles in our lives at times, but with effort and desire (ganas in Spanish), we can accomplish everything. Another important message I try to convey in my classes, is one of excellence. We all can go to sleep at night feeling proud, if we try our very best, and that is a great feeling.”Last year, Carrion-Kozak coached members of the International Club and took them to the World Affairs Challenge at the University of Denver. The group of all-Hispanic students stunned the competition, brought home the highest honors, and gained national recognition for the club, Rifle High School, and the Garfield School District Re-2 .Congratulations, Maria!In the interest of student safety and parent communication, posters and information concerning West Nile virus have been distributed to staff and sent home with students. The information includes prevention procedures for the safety of students and staff.-Highland Elementary School first-grade teacher Sheila Allen is encouraging grandparents of her first-graders to visit her classroom at 2:20 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, for reading and fun, in honor of Grandparents Day, which is Sunday, Sept. 7.