On Thursday, August 13th, Nebo employees gathered at the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds for the annual Opening Institute—a morning dedicated to celebration, reflection, and renewing our shared purpose for the upcoming school year.
Celebrating Excellence & Investing in Teachers
The morning kicked off with remarks from Associate Superintendent Suzanne Kimball, who led the district in celebrating the dedicated professionals who make our schools thrive. She recognized our 2025–2026 PEAK Award Winners, along with our Classified Employees of the Year and Certified Employees of the Year, honoring their exceptional commitment to student success.
Continuing the spirit of support, Board President Shannon Acor took the stage to highlight the incredible impact of the Nebo Education Foundation. Through the generosity of our community, the foundation awarded over $101,000 in teacher grants to fund classroom innovation. In addition, six employees who submitted grants last year were awarded $500 gift cards.
President Acor shared a touching lesson from a recent trip to Jamaica, where local children repeatedly sought personal connection—their time, attention, and presence—over physical items.
"We can't become so busy preparing what we're going to give people that we forget the most important thing we're giving them is ourselves."
— Shannon Acor, Board President
A Call to Action: "Be That Friend"
Superintendent Rick Nielsen delivered an empowering message centered on a simple yet profound mission for the 2026–2027 school year: "Be That Friend."
Superintendent Nielsen urged employees to look beyond standard roles and foster genuine relationships across every corner of our community:
To a student who needs extra help, empathy, support, or understanding.
To a coworker who is struggling with health, family challenges, belonging, or confidence.
To a loved one or neighbor who feels lonely, disconnected, or unsure.
To a parent who has entrusted us with their most precious treasure.
To "those people"—individuals or groups who are different from us, whom we might struggle to understand or who may not yet understand us.
Keynote: The Lenses of Humanity
To close the event, keynote speaker Kyle Reyes delivered an engaging presentation titled "Lenses of Humanity: How Reflection, Connection, and Empathy Can Heal Our World."
Reyes reminded the audience that one of the most humanizing endeavors in life is helping someone become the author of their own story. He broke down this work through the 4 Lenses of Humanity:
Inner Lens: Cultivating self-awareness and personal reflection.
Context Lens: Understanding the background, experiences, and circumstances that shape others.
Empathy Lens: Listening deeply and actively feeling with those around us.
Community Lens: Building inclusive spaces where everyone feels valued and connected.
As educators and staff head into the new school year, the message of the day was clear: beyond curriculum and daily tasks, our greatest power lies in the authentic, human connections we build with our students, colleagues, and community.
Welcome back, Nebo team—here’s to an extraordinary year!
