Chandler multi-media teacher wins ‘Pay Tribute to a Teacher’ award for June

The KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos “Pay Tribute to a Teacher” award for June went to Glenda Skalitzky, a multi-media and film teacher at Basha High School in Chandler.

The award sponsored by Your Valley Toyota Dealers gives a deserving teacher $2,500 each month.

Skalitzky has been teaching the media and film career and technical education program for 12 years, educating students on broadcasting, livestreams and news casts.

Before becoming a teacher, she was a local broadcaster in Phoenix.

“I chose a different path and decided to take my talent … to the next level and help up-and-coming journalists,” Skalitzky said.

Skalitzky explained that some of her students are looking to become play-by-play analysts or news anchors.

“We’re trying to start radio this year. … Sports talk radio as well as some news radio. But we just got some kids who like to do podcasts. We’ve got kids who really like to do sports. We do … livestreams of all of our football games, all of our basketball games, the girls and the boys,” she said.

Skalitzky was nominated for the tribute to a teacher award by a parent who highlighted her son’s progress throughout the school year, crediting Skalitzky for helping him find a passion for film.

The Chandler teacher said she plans to use the prize money to help fund classroom supplies and pay for students to go to an annual student media competition in Tampa, Florida.

“Some kids can’t go. So, a lot of times it comes out of my pocket, or we try to fundraise for them. So, some of that would probably just go into a … (fund) so when a kid is in need, we can actually get the things that we need in the classroom and to help those guys out so that they can actually fulfill their dreams,” Skalitzky said.

She added that some of the money may go towards a new pair of sunglasses for herself as well.

Want to nominate somebody for the Pay Tribute to a Teacher award? Submissions are accepted here.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

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