Three Richmond teachers are among 16 public school teachers being recognized with the 2018 R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence.

The winners will receive a combined total of $176,400 in grants to continue their love of learning and pursue interests that will help them to become better instructors.

An additional 18 finalists each will receive a $750 grant in recognition of their achievements in the classroom.

The awards were presented by the R.E.B. Foundation and the Community Foundation during an event on Nov. 12 at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond.

The winners were chosen from among 136 nominees submitted by students, parents and school system colleagues. They teach in public schools in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover and in the state Department of Juvenile Justice Division of Education.

Since the awards program’s start in 1988, more than 800 public school instructors have received $3.5 million in recognition for demonstrating a passion for teaching while also serving as mentors, coaches and champions for their students.

The three RPS winners:

• Kieasha King, a Woodville Elementary School teacher, won $12,000 to earn a Social Emotion Learning certification at UCLA, gain anti-stress techniques in the Dominican Republic and mindfulness skills in Hawaii.

• Kathy Paschall, a Franklin Military Academy life sciences teacher, won $11,500 to explore earth science-related topics in Iceland and Patagonia and become immersed in their extraordinary earth science features in an effort to find adventure in their natural wonders.

• Matt Wester, a Franklin Military Academy biology teacher, won $8,700 to travel through the wilderness of the American West and visit six National Parks.

William Fox Elementary School teacher Julie Crowder was a finalist and will receive $750.

Other R.E.B. Award winners:

• Dickson Benesh of the Maggie Walker Governor’s School, $10,900 to participate in a cycling tour in Iceland.

• Meghan Hamm of the Yvonne B. Miller High School with the state Department of Juvenile Justice, $11,300 to learn papermaking, watermarking, bookmaking and 13th century paper mill techniques in Italy.

 Henrico County

• Caroline Canning of Henrico High School, $11,500 to learn about the effects of apartheid, Nelson Mandela and social justice in South Africa, and to travel to Zambia.

• Nichole Gross of Fairfield Middle School, $12,000 to explore cultures in England, France, Italy, Spain, Ghana and Morocco.

• Robert Meister of Glen Allen High School, $10,000 to study improvisational handpan music and technique with musicians from France, Portugal and the United States.

• Robin Milwit of Greenwood Elementary School, $11,500 to study emerging technologies by visiting schools and ed-tech companies in Finland and attending national technology conferences in Florida, California and the Fred Rogers Center in Pennsylvania.

Chesterfield County

• Crystal Barker of L.C. Bird High School, $11,000 to travel to Alaska and Florida for outdoor adventure education.

• Shannon Castelo of James River High School, $8,700 to travel to New York City and Jerusalem.

• Gina Hackett of L.C. Bird High School, $11,800 to explore the ancient culture of Athens and Santorini, Greece.

• Christine Henry of Marguerite Christian Elementary School, $11,800 to travel to Canada and Europe.

• Lauren Serpa of Spring Run Elementary School, $11,500 to study comedy improv in Chicago and performance art in Ireland and The Netherlands.

Hanover County

• Melinda Johnson of Washington Henry Elementary School, $11,000 to attend the National Kindergarten Conference in Las Vegas and travel to Colorado, Paradise Island, Ireland and Scotland.

• Tamara Letter of Mechanicsville Elementary School, $11,200 to connect with educators and organizations across the United States and Canada.