Filipino-American educators group IAM FAME to honour dozens of teachers at Las Vegas Legacy Awards on 28 November
IAM FAME's National Assembly of Leaders and Educators 2026 at the Santa Fe Station Hotel pairs a morning leadership summit with an afternoon awards ceremony, with special education teachers the largest group of honourees.
The International Association of Multicultural & Filipino-American Educators, Inc. (IAM FAME, Inc.) will honour dozens of teachers at its National Assembly of Leaders and Educators 2026 in Las Vegas on Saturday, 28 November. The one-day gathering at the Santa Fe Station Hotel brings together teachers, school leaders and education advocates from across the United States.
The organisation's Central Chapter and Las Vegas Chapter are behind the event, which carries the theme "Leading with Legacy: Building Stronger Educators, Empowering Communities, and Advancing Inclusive Education Together."
Summit in the morning, awards in the afternoon
A Leadership Summit and team-building sessions on professional growth and cultural celebrations run from 9 a.m. to noon. The Legacy Awards Ceremony begins at 2 p.m.
The assembly's three top honours are the Golden Apple, Silver Apple and Crystal Apple Legacy Awards in Teaching, given to educators chosen from the pool of finalists for their pedagogy, leadership and educational impact. The Global Filipino Magazine reported that a separate prize, The People's Choice: Iconic Guro Award, goes to the winner of an online community vote.
Special education leads the honour roll
Special education teachers make up the largest single group of honourees, according to The Global Filipino Magazine, with eleven educators recognised for work ranging from crisis intervention to assistive technology. Among them:
- Dr. Cherry Anne Biaco, Inclusive Instructional Design
- Prince Malic L. Abanto Jr., Compassion & Crisis Intervention
- Shaira D. Mangawang, Assistive Technology & Digital Inclusion
- Janice S. Armas, Multidisciplinary Synergy & IEP Leadership
- Hazel C. Respicio, Life Skills & Transition Leadership
- Tyrish A. Unger, Positive Behavior Support – PBIS
Other categories span early childhood, elementary, middle and high school teaching, STEM, literacy, innovative teaching, inclusive classrooms and multicultural education. In Multicultural Education, honours go to Ken Brian C. Alegado, Rahnee de Leon Candaza and Gomer M. Suson.
Read the web like we doTurn any page into clean, ready-to-use data with FirecrawlKey facts
- IAM FAME, Inc. holds its National Assembly of Leaders and Educators 2026 on Saturday, 28 November 2026, at the Santa Fe Station Hotel in Las Vegas.
- The event is sponsored by IAM FAME's Central Chapter and Las Vegas Chapter.
- A Leadership Summit runs from 9 a.m. to noon, and the Legacy Awards Ceremony begins at 2 p.m.
- The top honours are the Golden Apple, Silver Apple and Crystal Apple Legacy Awards in Teaching.
- Eleven special education teachers are among the honourees, the largest single group.
Official sources
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