Pallotto and Swailes win Jackson teaching award

Becky Pallotto and Natasha Swailes have been selected as the 2026 winners of the Dr. William J. and Mae Hurst Jackson Award for Distinguished Teaching in the New Philadelphia City School District.

Pallotto and Swailes’ dedication and commitment to teaching and student success will be recognized at the Quaker Foundation Awards Banquet May 1. Each winner received a $6,000 monetary award.

A committee from the Quaker Foundation selected Pallotto and Swailes as finalists, along with Leigh Ann Jones and Terry McCrory. Jones and McCrory were selected as the 2026 runners-up for the Jackson Distinguished Teaching Award. Each runner-up will receive a monetary award of $1,500.

The finalists were selected from teachers in the district who were nominated by students, parents, alumni and other teachers. The selection committee wishes it could adequately communicate how impressed it has been over the years with the quality of the nominees for this award and their passion for teaching.

The Dr. William J. and Mae Hurst Jackson Award for Distinguished Teaching was established by the children of Dr. William J. and Mae Hurst Jackson, who formerly resided at 965 N. Broadway in New Philadelphia. Dr. William Jackson was recognized by The Times-Reporter at his death in 1974 as one of New Philadelphia’s “staunchest citizens” and for recording a “first” by opening a New Philadelphia office for the exclusive practice of optometry. He practiced as an optometrist for more than half a century. Mae Hurst Jackson taught English for several years in the New Philadelphia schools and was a member of First United Methodist Church, where she served as church organist for more than 50 years.

Dr. Bruce Jackson, Dr. Norman Jackson and Marjorie Jackson Rasche have memorialized their parents by funding this Distinguished Teaching Award.