Several former West Sedona School teachers and community members are collaborating to create the Susan Simon Leadership Award Fund, which will award a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating Sedona Red Rock High School student to further their education in trade school or college.

Simon, who died on April 28 at age 75, taught in the Sedona-Oak Creek School District for eight years starting in the 1990s before joining Desert Star Community School in Cornville.

“[Simon] first taught grade-school students for 13 years, and then took her place as a grade-school principal for another eight years, in Bristol, Penn.,” her obituary stated. “She then moved on to Sedona where she recommenced her career as a public grade-school principal at West Sedona School, where she enjoyed a second 21-year challenge. After her second ‘retirement’ from public service, she put in another three-year stint as the inaugural principal of the Desert Star [Community] School … Upon her ‘third retirement’ as a teacher and principal, she embarked on a ‘fourth phase’ or her teaching career, as a coach and teacher of other teachers and public servants.”

Her friends and colleagues Carol Copp, Karyl Goldsmith, Kathie Moore, Elaine Vail and Elaine Watkins spent the summer organizing the award fund.

“We’re not looking to help only the typical student body leader,” Watkins said. “Instead, we’re hoping to encourage students who are heroes in varied ways, whether by helping support their family or raise younger siblings, or perhaps by being the person who brings people together or discourages bullying.”

Her friends and colleagues Carol Copp, Karyl Goldsmith, Kathie Moore, Elaine Vail and Elaine Watkins spent the summer organizing the award fund. “We’re not looking to help only the typical student body leader,” Watkins said. “Instead, we’re hoping to encourage students who are heroes in varied ways, whether by helping support their family or raise younger siblings, or perhaps by being the person who brings people together or discourages bullying.”

Copp said that Simon was an exceptional leader who could recognize and cultivate the potential in others even when they could not see it themselves.

“I moved to Sedona in ’94 … and I just really felt like I was called to Sedona,” Copp said. “I didn’t know what it was or why, but after I met and worked with Susan, I thought, this is the person I was supposed to meet here. I was teaching sixth grade, and she would encourage you and draw out of you leadership skills you had.” 

Moore said that Simon created a strong leadership team and implemented creative team-building activities to improve the school’s culture and environment when she took over as principal. 

“[Simon] was unbelievable at faculty meetings and doing all kinds of creative ways to have staff interact with each other and build each other up,” Moore said. “At staff meetings, you’d put your name in a bowl, you’d pull out a name and at the end of every meeting, you gave that person a compliment. She did a ton of team-building activities and building people’s spirits up … She was outside in front of the school every single day, greeting every single student and teacher.”

“I was with our Rotary Interact students from the high school at Sedona Winds where she lived,” said Russ Snider, a former principal of Big Park Community School, West Sedona School and Sedona Red Rock High School. “We came out to play bingo and talk to the residents there once a month. Susan planned a fun assignment for us after our bingo was over and the students loved it. That was the last time I was able to see her and give her a hug. She was an incredible person, teacher and leader who I was blessed to have worked with in Sedona.” 

“Right up to months before she passed, Susan was coming up with ideas for how to make it a more enriching experience for our Interact Club students,” Rotary Club of Sedona Village Youth Exchange Officer Jennette Bill said. “Susan said we need these students to engage with our residents more. I’m going to come up with a list of questions for the students to ask the [Sedona Winds] residents so that they engage in more meaningful conversation … she was an amazing educator.” 

“Thank you for allowing me to spread my wings and lead you through some of the best years of our careers,” Simon wrote to all of the teachers she worked with in her 2015 book “Teachable Moments.” “We’ve made a difference. Let’s continue to strive to be remarkable every day we spend with children!” 

For more information on the Susan Simon Leadership Award, visit bold.org/funds/susan-simon-leadershipaward-fund.