Lorin A. Burt Award

The Lorin A. Burt Award is conferred annually by the ISBA to an exemplary educator for overall excellence in contributions to Indiana education.

2025 Lorin A. Burt Award

Dr. Jim Halik, 2025 Lorin A. Burt Award recipient

Dr. Jim Halik, superintendent of the Edinburgh Community School Corporation, is the 2025 recipient of the Lorin A. Burt Award. Dr. Halik has dedicated the past 51 years to education—28 of them as a superintendent, 19 as a principal, and the rest as a teacher. In a career that spans over half a century, he has led Franklin Community Schools and New Palestine Community Schools, served eight times as an interim superintendent, taught college classes for more than 40 years, and coached cross country, swimming and diving, and track. While he once considered retirement in his mid-50s, he now finds fulfillment continuing to serve into his 70s. His approach to leadership is rooted in a few guiding principles that he’s carried with him and shared with others along the way. First and foremost is never lose sight of putting kids first. A close second is serving with humility. Leadership is about working with people, not standing above them, he says. He also emphasizes the importance of hiring for character – skills can be taught, but you “can’t teach nice.” Staying resilient is another lesson he returns to often. Longevity in leadership comes from bouncing back, adapting, and keeping perspective through the challenges, he says. That resilience has been strengthened, he notes, by the mentors who guided him and the younger educators he’s tried to support in turn. Even after decades in administration, Dr. Halik has never stopped teaching. Staying connected to the classroom—in his case as a college instructor and through interim principalships—keeps leaders grounded and centered on the student experience, he adds. Finally, he believes schools must be places of joy. Academic rigor is essential, but so is making learning meaningful, hands-on, and fun.

2024 Lorin A. Burt Award

Dr. Sharon Johnson-Shirley, Lake Ridge New Tech Schools Superintendent, 2024 Lorin A. Burt Award recipient

Dr. Sharon Johnson-Shirley, superintendent of the Lake Ridge New Tech Schools, is the recipient of the 2024 Lorin A. Burt Award. Dr. Shirley has facilitated a culture of innovation and student success at Lake Ridge, having overseen implementation of a districtwide New Tech Network Model. Calumet New Tech High School boasted a high school graduation rate of 94% in 2024, up from 68% in 2005, the year she was hired as superintendent. More than 90% of Lake Ridge students qualify for free- and reduced-price lunch. Her leadership extends beyond academics. Under her guidance, Lake Ridge has built state-of-the-art athletic facilities and secured a $500,000 partnership with the Hard Rock Casino to fund further improvements. Her commitment to community well-being was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when she partnered with the Indiana State Health Commissioner to host vaccination clinics. She also takes an active role in mentoring aspiring superintendents. “This moment is not just mine; it belongs to the entire Lake Ridge New Tech Schools community,” said Dr. Shirley. “Together, we have built something special—a community where innovation thrives and every voice is heard.” Prior to her appointment as superintendent of Lake Ridge, she worked for the school corporation as principal, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent. “I am constantly inspired by the potential in each of our students, and I am motivated daily by their energy, resilience, and drive to achieve,” said Dr. Shirley. “I look forward to continuing the important work of ensuring that every student, no matter his or her background or circumstances, can achieve greatness.”

Past Lorin A. Burt Award Recipients

1968 Dr. J. Everett Light | Indianapolis
1969 Aaron T. Lindley | Lafayette
1970 Charles C. Thornburg | East Chicago
1971 Dr. Maurice E. Stapley | Bloomington
1972 Paul C. Garrison | Richmond
1973 Lewis C. Bose | Indianapolis
1974 Lois Parker | Avon
1975 Joe C. Rice | Elkhart
1976 Eldon F. Ludquist | Elkart
1977 Amy Cook Lurvey | Indianapolis
1978 Phillip T. Warner | Goshen
1979 Ray Geyer | Maconaquah
1980 Dr. Lester Grile | Fort Wayne
1981 Jean Porter | Western
1982 Dr. Robert Dalton | Kokomo-Center Township
1983 Dr. Dean F. Berkley | Bloomington
1984 Lee Williford | Northwestern
1985 Dr. Victor Fisher, Jr. | Evansville-Vanderburgh
1986 Dr. Harmon Baldwin | Monroe County
1987 Gerald Heindselman | Elkhart
1988 William A. Hadley | Pendleton
1989 John F. Young | Fort Wayne
1990 Sam Bianco | Gary
1991 Charles E. Fields | Indianapolis
1992 Paul Tully | Merrillville
1993 Earl E. Nelson | Lafayette
1994 Frank A. Shackelford | Speedway
1995 Melvin Levin | Mt. Vernon
1996 Dr. Robert E. Herrold | Brownsburg
1997 Ralph J. Bailey | Whitley County
1998 Raymond A. Dault | Speedway
1999 Dr. John Hayden Emhuff | Mt. Vernon
2000 Lowell C. Rose | Bloomington
2001 Chric Chalker | Warren Township
2002 No Recipient
2003 Gina Berridge | Northern Wells
2004 Dr. Richard Helton | Avon
2005 Pete Goerges | Hobart
2006 Lorie Woycik | Valparaiso
2007 Donald H. Stinson | MSD of Decatur Township
2008 Thomas R. Langdoc | MSD of Wayne Township
2009 Dr. Richard Wood | Tippecanoe County
2010 Dr. Bruce Stahly | Goshen
2011 Dr. Edward Eiler | Lafayette
2012 Dr. Peggy Hinckley | MSD of Warren Township
2013 Mark Booth | Noblesville
2014 Vera Jones | Michigan City
2015 Dr. Peggy Buffington | Hobart
2016 Ned Speicher | Argos
2017 Dennis Stockdale | East Washington
2018 Dr. Debra Howe | Tri-Creek
2019 Dr. Wanda Thruston | M.S.D. of Washington Township
2020 Dr. Donald DeWeese | Frankfort
2021 Dr. Thomas Edington | Wawasee
2022 Dr. Scott Robison | Zionsville
2023 Chris Hess | Logansport
2024 Dr. Sharon Johnson-Shirley | Lake Ridge
2025 Dr. Jim Halik | Edinburgh

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