Port Townsend High School teachers Jeff Taylor and Linda Lenz were presented with the sixth annual Howard Learned Award at the June 25th Port Townsend School Board meeting, recognized by Skillmation Community Mentoring for going above and beyond to welcome community mentors into their classrooms.
The award, now marking its sixth year, is named for longtime local mentor Howard Learned in honor of his deep roots in the community, his welcoming spirit toward new people and ideas, and his years of active youth mentorship. It's presented annually by Skillmation, the local mentoring and tutoring organization founded a decade ago by Martha Trolin and Ben Bauermeister to connect community talent with local students.
Jeff Taylor was recognized for launching and running an after-school support program during the 2024–25 school year — a space for students who need extra academic help, want a quiet place to make up a test, or simply need somewhere to study. Skillmation subject coach John Ward, who has volunteered in the program for years, credited Taylor's organization and thoughtful coordination — matching volunteers to students by need and tracking outcomes over time — with building a support system built to last.
Linda Lenz was honored for regularly inviting Skillmation coaches into her classroom to work with small groups of students, and for organizing two full-day AP Statistics review camps this year that brought together dozens of students with volunteer coaches ahead of their exam. Coaches noted that Lenz's clear preparation and guidance helped make the large-scale camps run smoothly and made volunteers feel genuinely useful in the classroom.
Howard Learned himself presented Taylor and Lenz with awards and gift certificates to Finistère Restaurant, continuing a tradition that adds each year's honorees to a growing plaque displayed at the district.
A Special 10th Anniversary Honor for Principal Sean Moss
This year also marked Skillmation's 10th anniversary in the community, and the organization used the occasion to present a 10th Anniversary Award to Port Townsend High School Principal Sean Moss. Skillmation volunteers praised Moss for his visible, hands-on presence around campus — often found in classrooms and at school and community events rather than behind a desk — and for championing academic coaching support, including shifting math coaching from an opt-in to an opt-out model so more students benefit by default.
"I imagine a town where every young person is connected to a significant, caring adult in their community," said longtime Skillmation mentor and board member Gary Smith, capturing the spirit behind the district's decade of partnership with Skillmation.
Congratulations to Jeff, Linda, and Sean — and thank you to Skillmation for ten years of connecting our students with caring mentors in the community.