Our Excellence in Education program is to recognize and reward educators for their contribution to education in our local schools.

We annually solicited the principal from the six (6) local school for candidate nominations based upon exemplary dedication to serving youth and passion for assisting youth to reach their full potential.

In 2021 the Optimist Club of Malibu Excellence in education Award was renamed the Optimist Club of Malibu Ronald E. Merriman Excellence in Education Award in honor of Ronald Merriman for his life long dedication to the youth of Malibu. Ronald Merriman served in the Malibu schools as principal of both Juan Cabrillo and Webster Elementary schools.

The recipient’s of the 2021 Optimist Club of Malibu Ronald E. Merriman Excellence in Education Award are:

Sandra Harris-Webster Elementary School-2nd Grade 

Angela Whitman-Malibu Elementary School-3rd Grade

Justine Kingman Petretti-Our Lady of Malibu-Art

Elizabeth Poulin-Malibu Middle School-6th grade Science and Marine Biology

Kim Auer-Malibu High school-Spanish levels 1,3,4, & 5AP

We honor the recipient and their families at one of our regular breakfast meetings.  Each recipient receives an award and a gift certificate for dinner at Geoffrey’s, a local restaurant and a long time sponsor of this program.

Previous Winners

2008 Margo Dunn Point Dume Marine Science
2008 Nancy Schellkopf Malibu High School
2008 Laurel Thorne Juan Cabrillo Elementary
2008 Les Bennett Malibu High School
2008 Jessica Hernandez Webster Elementary
2008 Judith Nelson Our Lady of Malibu
2009 Erin Pickens Juan Cabrillo Elementary
2009 Bernice Hayden Our Lady of Malibu
2009 Christine Cullen Point Dume Marine Science
2009 Ellen Relles Malibu High School
2009 Libby Maccani Webster Elementary
2009 Micheael Mulligan Malibu High School
2010 Ursula Brooks Malibu High School
2010 Marcia Nix Webster Elementary
2010 Patti Mehring Juan Cabrillo Elementary
2010 Kris Jennings Point Dume Marine Science
2010 Rindy Eicks Malibu High School
2010 Beverly Craveiro Our Lady of Malibu
2011 Kathleen Ruse Our Lady of Malibu
2011 Susan Baltrushes Juan Cabrillo Elementary
2011 Luke Sferra Malibu High School
2011 Lynne Flowers Malibu High School
2011 Mary Tafi Point Dume Marine Science
2011 Kristina Cook Webster Elementary
2012 Nancy Levy Juan Cabrillo Elementary
2012 Ken Harris Point Dume Marine Science
2012 Amy Stark Webster Elementary
2012 Liz Cowgill Malibu High School
2012 Glen Sunyich Our Lady of Malibu
2012 Bonnie Thoreson Malibu High School
2013 Adam Panish Malibu High School
2013 Melissa Andaya Malibu Middle School
2013 Jill Mathews Juan Cabrillo Elementary
2013 John Meyers Our Lady of Malibu
2013 Laura Calek Point Dume Marine Science
2013 Pamela Held Webster Elementary
2014 Bob Perry Malibu Middle School
2014 Bill Bixler Malibu High School
2014 Paula Heintz Point Dume Marine Science
2014 Michelle Krolikowski Our Lady of Malibu
2014 Theresa Rubin Webster Elementary
2014 Yalile Pieper Juan Cabrillo Elementary
2015 JuliaCheri Hoos Malibu Middle School
2015 Henry Wadsworth Malibu High School
2015 Sandy Carter Point Dume Marine Science
2015 Heather Russell Our Lady of Malibu
2015 Susy Blair Webster Elementary
2015 Julie Siegel Juan Cabrillo Elementary
2016 Michelle Bernadou Point Dume Marine Science
2016 Ruth Marsden Our Lady of Malibu
2016 Sheryl Murdock Webster Elementary
2016 Cari McCollum Juan Cabrillo Elementary
2016 Mark Larsen Malibu Middle School
2016 Jordan Ervin Malibu High School
2017 Maribeth Majewski Point Dume Marine Science
2017 Laura Retts Our Lady of Malibu
2017 Wendy Berman Webster Elementary
2017 Nicole Fisher Juan Cabrillo Elementary
2017 Katy Lapaine Malibu Middle School
2017 Carla Bowman-Smith Malibu High School

2018 Laura Calek Point Dume Marine Science

2018 Patrice Wachs Our Lady of Malibu

2018 Daryl Adams Webster Elementary

2018 Nancy Jordan Juan Cabrillo Elementary

2018 Diana Martinez Malibu Middle School

2018 Craig Chavez Malibu High School

2019 – Dionne (Dee Dee) Cooper Point Dume Marine Science

2019 – Savannah Guedes Our Lady of Malibu

2019 – Mike Kisskalt Webster Elementary

2019 – Zoe Langley Juan Cabrillo Elementary

2019 – Amy Galipeau Malibu Middle School

2019 – Danielle Murawski Malibu High School

2020 – Charline Kim Our Lady of Malibu

2020 – Maribeth Majewski Webster Elementary

2020 – Tammy Mackey Malibu Elementary School

2020 – Lisa Lambert Malibu Middle School

2020 – Jennifer Gonzalez Malibu High School