Front row: Superintendent Aaron Davidson, Bri Moore, Mackenzie Burnett, Zoe Tarabay, School Board President Allison Momany. Back row: Marissa Moore, Gary Potter, Tarena Toy, Ariana Reynolds, School Board Vice-President Abdouramane Bila.

The Clear Creek Amana Community School District announces the October 2025 Students and Staff of the Month Honorees.

This program recognizes one student and one staff member each month from an elementary school, the middle school, and the high school for exceeding expectations.

Zoe Tarabay is the Elementary Student Of The Month from East Ridge Elementary
Nominated by Brittany Cox

Zoe is incredibly deserving of Student of the Month because she embodies perseverance, kindness, and a true love of learning. Just over a year ago, she came to America knowing no English, and as a member of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, her tremendous growth has been nothing short of inspiring. I have never experienced a student so genuinely interested in learning—Zoe eagerly asks clarifying questions, reviews lessons with her parents after school, and constantly seeks to expand her knowledge. She has made remarkable progress in building her vocabulary, reading comprehension, and math skills.

Zoe faces her differences with positivity, always wearing the biggest smile and maintaining an uplifting mindset that brightens our classroom. She speaks four languages and is currently studying French and Arabic, showing her deep curiosity and determination to grow. She models what it means to be Engaged, Respectful, and Exceptional (ERE) every day, reminding her peers of these values through her actions and attitude. Her kind heart and positive nature have helped her form strong friendships in her first year in the district, and she is always respectful and eager to help both staff and classmates.

Outside the classroom, Zoe is a gifted pianist and dedicated gymnast, showing the same focus and perseverance that make her such an exceptional student. She is truly a role model and an inspiration to everyone around her.

Ariana Reynolds is the Middle School Student Of The Month from CCA Middle School
Nominated by Jamie Stratton

Ariana is a hard worker and gives her best at everything she does. She not only focuses on her own school work, but she is a great partner when working in small groups and truly wants everyone to understand instead of just taking her taking charge and leaving her group behind. 

She is always polite, respectful and follows the rules. She makes sure all classmates are included. 

Ariana is not only a good academic student, but she has been a huge help for our middle school yearbook and also with student council. She has helped take a variety of pictures for the yearbook to capture the fun our student body has. For student council, she has created and helped put together a slideshow of over 50 Veterans who plan to attend the event on Monday.

Mackenzie Burnett is the High School Student Of The Month from CCA High School
Nominated by Chris Copeland

It is my honor to nominate Mackenzie Burnett for recognition by the Clear Creek Amana School Board. Mackenzie is an outstanding representative of the values we strive to instill in our students — humility, work ethic, leadership through service, and the ability to inspire others through genuine kindness and integrity.

Mackenzie has faced significant adversity in her journey, yet she continues to approach life with optimism, gratitude, and a desire to make a difference for others. Rather than allowing challenges to define her, she has used those experiences to deepen her empathy and strengthen her resolve. Her ability to stay grounded in her core values has made her a quiet but powerful example of resilience and character within our school community.

As a leader in the band program, Mackenzie’s influence extends far beyond music. She leads with humility and a servant’s heart, focusing on lifting up those around her. She is intentional about building relationships and ensuring that every student feels valued and included. Her peers look to her not only for her musical ability and leadership skills, but also for her authenticity and encouragement.

Mackenzie embodies what it means to lead by example. She demonstrates consistent dedication to her craft, takes initiative in helping others, and approaches every rehearsal, performance, and interaction with a sense of purpose and care. Her presence has strengthened the sense of community within the band and beyond.

In every sense, Mackenzie represents the best of Clear Creek Amana — a student whose kindness, perseverance, and service-minded leadership inspire those around her to be better. She is truly deserving of recognition for the positive impact she continues to make in our school and community.

Tarena Toy is the Elementary Staff Of The Month from Clear Creek Elementary
Nominated by Lindsey Shaull

We couldn’t think of another teacher more deserving of recognition than Tarena Toy. Tarena is full of so much knowledge and she is always willing to share ideas in order to improve learning for students and to build the repertoire of our teachers. In addition to her instructional coach duties, she has invested her own time and money into making an Action Based Learning Lab at CCE. Our students and teachers are loving this new initiative, and we know it wouldn’t have been possible without her passion and dedication to expanding her own learning and then sharing that with all of us. CCE is so lucky to have Mrs. Toy.

Tarena has been described by many as an angel on earth. She is a friend to all and pours her heart and soul into our staff and students every single day.

Bri Moore is the Middle School Staff Of The Month from CCA Middle School
Nominated by Dalton Van Etten

Bri has managed her duties as science teacher by finding great resources to supplement our work. She also has great relationships and connections with her students and finds ways to make science interactive and relevant to the student's lives outside of school. She also has helped with the school play the past years, and is now taking the lead on it.

She models good character and kindness in her classroom daily. Students feel comfortable in her classroom and make it a point to come see her past 6th grade.

Marissa Moore is the High School Staff Of The Month from CCA High School
Nominated by Tom Daniel

Marissa is being recognized for her outstanding selection as an Iowa Department of Education Regional Teacher of the Year. 

Gary Potter is the District Staff Of The Month from the Transportation Department
Nominated by Denny Schreckengast

Gary's willingness to cover any route on short notice, train new staff so they are prepared to drive solo, and lead by example make him a true asset to CCA.  His desire to make every day a safe and enjoyable one for students is second to none.  Gary's knowledge of the district roads and procedures allows him to be a go to for any staff that might have a question. 

Gary puts others first when making decisions about safety and recognizing the hazards bus driving presents.  It is truly a pleasure to work with Gary!