The Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU) honored 21 outstanding nominees for the 2026 Annie Sullivan Award on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, and announced Mr. Peter Suppa as this year’s award recipient.
For the first time, the reception and award ceremony were held at the Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences in Reading. The event celebrated 21 nominees representing Berks County’s 18 school districts, two career and technology centers, and the BCIU. Colleagues, friends, and family gathered to recognize the exceptional service and dedication these individuals demonstrate in support of students with disabilities.
Mr. Suppa serves as a Building Trades Instructor at the Reading Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center (RMCTC), where he has taught a half-day Building Trades program for students in grades 10 through 12+ over the past five years. The program serves students from the Reading and Muhlenberg school districts with low-incidence disabilities, including students with intellectual disabilities and autism.
According to his supervisor, Ms. Holly Lorchak, Director of Special Education, Mr. Suppa built the program from the ground up, creating a safe, accessible, and engaging learning environment where students develop foundational construction skills while gaining confidence and independence. Through thoughtful instruction, hands-on learning, and high expectations, he has guided students’ progress from basic tool use and measurement to more advanced projects involving framing, blueprint reading, plumbing, and electrical work.
Mr. Suppa is also known for his creativity, patience, and steady belief in his students. In addition to classroom instruction, he has expanded learning opportunities through field trips, involvement in the Home Builders Association student chapter, and participation in district-level SkillsUSA competitions.
His impact is also reflected in student achievement. Students in his program complete the same NOCTI (National Occupational Competency Testing Institute) exam as students in the general education Building Property Maintenance program. Of the four students who completed the assessment, three earned advanced or competent scores on both the written and performance components.
Ms. Holly Lorchak summarized her nomination with the following: “As someone with over 30 years of experience in special education, I am genuinely in awe of Mr. Peter Suppa. What many educators spend years studying and refining, he has developed organically through dedication, reflection, and an unwavering commitment to student success. Mr. Suppa exemplifies the very best of what we hope for in an educator: a professional who does whatever it takes to help students experience growth, confidence, and achievement.”
In addition to Mr. Peter Suppa, the 2026 Annie Sullivan Award nominees were:
- Mrs. Stephanie Hartman, Reading Specialist, Antietam School District
- Mrs. Eva-Maria Rickard, Nurse, Boyertown Area School District
- Mrs. Lisa Weidemoyer, Intervention Specialist, Brandywine Heights Area School District
- Ms. Amber Vandegriff, Health Aide, Conrad Weiser Area School District
- Mrs. Karen Gillard, Paraprofessional, Daniel Boone Area School District
- Mrs. Jane Rantz, Special Education Teacher, Exeter Township School District
- Mrs. Lori Fisher, Paraprofessional, Fleetwood Area School District
- Ms. Traci Huddleson, Associate Director of Student Activities, Governor Mifflin School District
- Mrs. Amanda McBreen, Life Skills Teacher, Hamburg Area School District
- Mrs. Lori Christ, Special Education Teacher, Kutztown Area School District
- Mrs. Jennifer Hausman, Special Education Coordinator, Muhlenberg School District
- Mrs. Laura Rhein, Autistic Support Teacher, Oley Valley School District
- Ms. Paige McInaw, Autistic Support Teacher, Reading School District
- Mrs. Jennifer Vroman, Gifted Support Teacher, Schuylkill Valley School District
- Mr. Kris Kerschner, Coordinator of School Safety and Security, Tulpehocken Area School District
- Mrs. Claudia Sweitzer, Learning Support Teacher, Twin Valley School District
- Mrs. Erin Knight, Paraprofessional, Wilson School District
- Mr. Austin Lecher, 12th Grade Student, Wyomissing Area School District
- Miss Amy Slovick, Early Intervention Lead Speech Therapist, Berks County Intermediate Unit
- Mrs. Linda Keller, Service Occupations Instructional Assistant, Berks Career & Technology Center
- Mr. Peter Suppa, Building Trades Instructor, Reading Muhlenberg Career & Technology Center
The Annie Sullivan Award is given in recognition of an individual who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to promoting understanding and support of students with disabilities in his or her school or community. The award is named for Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller’s devoted teacher and mentor. Nearly blind herself, she regained her sight after treatment and dedicated her life to teaching the blind and deaf.
