The Cedar Rapids Community School District is proud to celebrate Kennedy High School’s Jenny Wagner for being honored with the inaugural Dan Marburger Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) Advocacy Award. This prestigious recognition, presented by the University of Northern Iowa’s Patricia A. Tomson Center for Violence Prevention, honors Wagner’s outstanding dedication to fostering safer school environments through violence prevention education.
The award is named in honor of Dan Marburger, the principal of Perry High School who tragically lost his life in January 2024 while protecting his students from gun violence. This new annual award recognizes individuals and teams who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the MVP Strategies program, a nationally recognized initiative that trains student leaders and educators to address issues of interpersonal violence and bullying.
“Dan was a champion of the MVP Strategies program and epitomized the values through his convictions, words and in his actions,” said Alysa Mozak, PATCVP director. “We hope to honor his tremendous legacy through the creation of this award in his name.”
Wagner, a special education English Language Arts teacher at Kennedy High School, has been leading the MVP program since its inception at the school in 2017. Under her leadership, Kennedy’s student MVP leaders have worked to foster a culture of safety, respect, and proactive bystander intervention. Kennedy’s MVP program was also recognized in 2018 by the School Team/Organization of Character by Drake University’s Robert D. and Billie Ray Center and in 2019 with the CR Rough Riders Impacting Community Excellence award.
“It’s hard to articulate what it means to receive recognition in honor of Mr. Marburger’s heroic bravery and ultimate sacrifice to protect his students,” said Wagner. “With violence prevention, the challenges can seem overwhelming, and it often feels like we are working in small numbers hoping to make a difference that is not always immediately visible. This award affirms that the dedication and courage shown by our Kennedy student Mentors in Violence Prevention leaders since 2017 truly matters.”
The Perry High School MVP advisory team will receive the inaugural team award, recognizing their contributions to violence prevention in their school community.
The Cedar Rapids Community School District is incredibly proud of Jenny Wagner and her work to create a safer and more supportive environment for students. Her recognition is a testament to the impact that dedicated educators and student leaders can have in promoting a culture of violence prevention and intervention.