Ankeny Teacher Selected For Autism Education Award

ANKENY. IA — An Ankeny teacher has been honored as an outstanding autism educator after being nominated by a district parent for the award. Regina Davis, who teaches special education students at Crocker Elementary School, received the honor last week.

Davis was the recipient of the Stephen Tsai award for Excellence in Autism Education. It is named for a 36-year-old man who was diagnosed with autism at the University of Iowa autism program when he was 3 years old, according to a story on the Ankeny school district website. The story said Tsai is a productive citizen and "living a full life because of the many people who have helped him along the way."

Davis, who was nominated by Ankeny parent Erin Enyart and her husband, Jerrod, received the award at the annual Autism Society of Iowa conference in West Des Moines on Friday, Nov. 3. The Tsai Award is presented each year to an outstanding individual in Iowa who has had an impact on individuals with autism-spectrum disorders.

Erin Enyart, left, nominated teacher Regina Davis for an award for excellence in autism education/Photo courtesy of Ankeny schools