Awards and Achievements

Campus Awards

⭐2026 Best DVUSD Website
⭐2023 Arizona Education Foundation A++ School of Excellence Award  
⭐2023-2024 CS100 "ALL IN" Award for committing to reach 100% of students with computer science education in accordance with our Computer Science Standards  
⭐2013-Present: 5 Star Review at Schooldigger.com; Legend Springs has ranked in the top 8% of elementary schools in Arizona.
⭐2016 Arizona Education Foundation A+ School of Excellence Award
⭐“A” Rating Accountability Achievement Profile by the Arizona Department of Education.

⭐2013 NCEA Arizona Higher Performing School by The National Center for Educational Achievement. The award was given to Legend Springs by rating in the top 5% of all schools in the State of Arizona .  The National Center of Educational Achievement (NCEA) identified Legend Springs to have consistently outperformed its peers with similar student populations over a three-year period.  Legend Springs is the only school in the Deer Valley School District that has received the award each year over a 3-year span.   

Student Awards

⭐United States District Court District of Arizona 2026 Semiquincentennial Art & Poetry Contest
Lachlan Dobbs, 5th Grade, Prize Winner  
Scotland Louis, 5th Grade, Prize Winner  

⭐Stormwater Pollution Calendar Art Contest
2022 Chloe Crabtree, 4th Grade, First Place
⭐Be Kind Essay Contest
2019 Zoe Sarzynski 3rd grade, Second Place
⭐10th Annual Be-A-Famous Writer National Contest Winner
2019 Cheri Thompson Third Grade ELA Class
⭐ASU Grand Canyon State Games Essay Contest
2014 Madison Presmyk, 3rd Grade, Bronze Medal Recipient
2014 Tegan Piereira, 3rd Grade, Honorable Mention
2014 Giana Cox, 4th Grade, Honorable Mention
⭐ASU Grand Canyon State Games Art Contest
2014 Dylan Dodd Kindergarten, Silver Medal Recipient
2014 Benjamin Goodman, Kindergarten, Bronze Medal Recipient

Mrs. Basl's Principal Awards
⭐DVUSD Principal of the Year 2025
⭐Maricopa Exemplary Principal 2023
⭐GCU STEM Principal 2022

Teacher Certifications and Awards

 

⭐National Board Certification 

2025 Karen Padelford, Early Childhood Generalist
2023 Megan Harshman, Early and Middle Childhood Literacy

⭐Full Gifted Education Endorsement

Nicole DeVargas, Gifted Specialist
Susan Barbee, Reading Specialist
Kelly Gedney, Reading Specialist
Cheri Thompson, 3rd Grade
Heather Lorenz, 3rd Grade
Bailey Williams, 5th Grade

⭐Provisional Gifted Education Endorsement

Kylene Wells, Kindergarten
Catherin Race, 2nd Grade

⭐Provisional Gifted Education Endorsement In Progress

Jessica Whitson, 1st Grade
Lisa Kennemer, 1st Grade
Taylor Lerette, 1st Grade
Nikki Quezada, 2nd Grade
Christina Salazar, 3rd Grade

⭐DVUSD &  Deer Valley Education Foundation Teachers of the Year

2025-2026 Catherin Race Teacher of the Year
2021-2022  Heather Lorenz Teacher of the Year
2021-2022  Shawna Collins Teacher of the Year
2015-2016 Tina Crane, Kindergarten Teacher of the Year
2015-2016 Lance Gephart, Art Teacher of the Year
2014-2015 Cyndy Faucher, 2nd Grade Teacher of the Year
2013-2014 Hollie Stafford, 6th Grade Teacher of the Year 
2009-2010 Kelly Gedney, Reading Specialist Teacher of the Year
2004-2005 Susan Huber, 4th Grade Teacher of the Year

⭐DVUSD and Deer Valley Education Foundation Rookies of the Year

2015-2016 Jenny Ferdman Akers, 2nd Grade Rookie of the Year
2001-2002 Kelly Schulte Gedney, 2nd Grade Rookie of the Year

⭐Donors Choose Grant Recipients

Debbie Ryan, STEM: 1 Project Funded
Emily Artzi, Art: 3 Projects Funded
Karen Padelford, 1st Grade: 8 Projects Funded
Katy Schultze, 4th Grade: 4 Projects Funded
Kylene Wells, Kindergarten: 2 Projects Funded
Shawna Collins, Kindergarten: 7 Projects Funded
Kelly Gedney, Reading Specialist: 1 Project Funded
Susan Barbee, Reading Specialist: 1 Project Funded
Heather Lorenz, 3rd Grade: 2 Projects Funded
Cheri Thompson, 3rd Grade: 1 Project Funded
Christina Salazar, 4th Grade: 4 Projects Funded
Liz Reyes, STEM: 3 Projects Funded

⭐Fiesta Bowl Grant Recipient

2026 Emily Artzi, Art
2023 Cheryse Blake, EL Specialist
2021 Shawna Collins, Kindergarten

⭐Scholastic Books Grant

2022 Christina Salazar, 4th Grade $500 for Classroom Library

⭐SRP Learning Grant Recipient [$500]

2026 Debbie Ryan, STEM
2022 Liz Reyes, STEM
2022 Lisa Kennemer, STEM
2022 Karen Padelford, STEM

⭐American Family Insurance Grant 

2014 Sharon Levake, 1st Grade $2500 for iPads

⭐Norwegian Cruise Line Teacher Award

2022 Sharon Levake, 1st Grade 

⭐Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute in American History Scholarship [$2200]

2014 Vanessa Goodrich, 5th Grade