Trinity Basin Preparatory has selected Ashlee Thrash as the 2022 Teacher of the Year. Thrash teaches 1st-7th grade special education functional living skills at the Trinity Basin Preparatory Mesquite campus. Thrash has served in education for 11 years and is currently serving in her second year at Trinity Basin Preparatory. 

Thrash graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor’s of Science in Unified Early Childhood Education and earned a Master’s Degree in Special Education. She has taught special education and kindergarten in the DFW area for the past 10 years and has touched the lives of many students. 

Through her 11 years of experience in education, Trash has gone beyond her duties in the classroom to impact the lives of her students. Recognizing the need for after-school and weekend meals for students, Thrash created a snack program to ensure the needs of students were met beyond the hours of the school day. Through organized donations, Thrash purchased food for four families to ensure basic needs were met during Spring Break when students were not on campus. 

Thrash is the organizer of the school’s Clothes and Food Closet, where students have access to school uniforms and food when needed. Thrash seeks extended learning opportunities for her students by teaching them the importance of giving back to their peers and community. Through the “Food 4 Kids” program, Thrash’s class packs backpacks with food and delivers them to students within the district. 

“In my functional living skills classroom, my top priority is to instill honesty, accountability, independence, and confidence into every student that enters my classroom despite physical, cognitive, or academic abilities,” Ashlee Thrash said. “My hope is that students leave my classroom feeling a little more confident and loved, knowing that they will always have my support.” 

Liberty Capital Bank presented Thrash with a $2,000 check at a recognition ceremony in front of students to celebrate the accomplishment.