Local educator Natalie Cravens wins 5-night vacation

Teachers have reinvented their classrooms in all kinds of ways this year and continue to be an integral part of keeping communities moving. Margaritaville believes it is time to pay it forward. The global lifestyle brand is celebrating all educators, from teachers to school counselors, who have helped families navigate a difficult year with their first ever “Educators: Our Everyday Heroes” Giveaway. Fifteen educators, plus one grand prize winner, was nominated from May 3 to June 24 from around the U.S. to win an escape to a Margaritaville destination.
Natalie Cravens, third grade teacher at West Chester Elementary, was one of the educators that won a getaway.
She won a 5-night stay for up to 4 people at Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana all-inclusive resort.
Winners were selected based on a range of criteria including earned votes and sharing activity as well as insights from Margaritaville’s selection committee on originality and overall story.
Her father, Dr. Mike Cravens, nominated her for the award.
His nomination said: “Natalie is currently a third-grade teacher. She was diagnosed with cancer at 17 and decided while a patient at St. Jude to choose a career in serving children. She is now pursuing her doctoral degree in Behavioral Health to help students she believes are falling between the cracks at school and home.”
“He is also a teacher, and he understands the stress educators are dealing with. I have truly learned from the best and wouldn’t be the educator I am today without the teachers that have taught me,” Natalie said.
She was amazed by how many other people voted for her and shared the posts that helped her win this trip.
”I was absolutely blown away by how many people voted, shared and said kind things about me with their posts,” Cravens said. “The dedication people showed in voting everyday for a month was incredible. I’m shocked that I was chosen for such an amazing trip.
All educators deserve something like this.”
In addition to a $1,000 travel voucher for the group, the winners and their guests will be treated to daily breakfast (or a comparable resort credit) and other amenities. For more information, visit www.margaritaville.com.