Mesa educator nominated by staff wins Pay It Forward award

MESA, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- We Paid It Forward in Mesa to Sheila Pepka, an educator that’s great to her staff and students. Elizabeth Magana, who works for Sheila, says her boss is hardworking and dedicated to her job. “I started working with her two years ago; I know how much work she puts in the schools. So I believe Sheila needs some time off because she is here every weekend working 16 hours she deserves something for herself,” said Elizabeth.

Sheila started Kinderbugs, a program where she creates the curriculum and ensures every student succeeds in their school. Parents recognize her hard work, which has led to the expansion of four separate schools. Because of her dedication, her staff wanted to Pay It Forward to her.

We walked up to Sheila and surprised her with the award. “We got a wonderful letter from Elizabeth about you,” I said. “You won $500, so you can do something for yourself. You deserve some time off.”

Being a mom with 12 kids and a staff of over 20 people, Sheila is a busy person. But, she says all the work she puts in is worth it when she sees the progress they make with their students. “Just seeing the kids progress, it’s really amazing to see what they learn. It just makes your day when you see how they have gained that day – I love it,” Sheila said.

If you would like to nominate someone for our Pay It Forward Award, fill out a nomination form on our community page.

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