Linda Rekas is closing out her Parkway C-2 teaching career the way she spent it — earning recognition for what she brought to young musicians.

Rekas, a strings teacher at Mason Ridge Elementary and Green Trails Elementary, was named the 2026 Missouri American String Teachers Association Outstanding Elementary Educator of the Year. The Parkway Board of Education recognized her at its April 15 meeting at the Parkway Welcome Center in Ballwin.

It's not the first time MoASTA has honored Rekas. She won the same Outstanding Elementary Educator award in 2012 and was named the association's Outstanding Studio Teacher in 2005, according to MoASTA's awards records — making her a three-time honoree from the statewide organization.

The recognition came as Rekas prepares to retire from Parkway. On April 20, she led her final concert at Mason Ridge — a 4th and 5th grade orchestra performance. Students gave her a standing ovation and each presented her with a flower to close the evening.

At that same concert, Rekas received a Certificate of Merit from the St. Louis Suburban Missouri Music Education Association for her contributions to music education, according to Mason Ridge Elementary.

Rekas teaches strings to students starting in 3rd grade violin through 5th grade orchestra at Mason Ridge, and also serves Green Trails Elementary, according to the Parkway strings program website.

The district also celebrated her retirement at a staff appreciation night, according to Mason Ridge Elementary.

At the same April 15 board meeting, Parkway recognized 11 schools that earned EPA Energy Star certification: Central Middle, Craig, Green Trails, Highcroft, McKelvey Primary, McKelvey Elementary, Northeast Middle, North High, River Bend, Sorrento Springs, and South Middle. The federal certification means each building performs better than at least 75 percent of similar buildings nationwide on energy efficiency.