Teachers of Tomorrow is excited to announce our 2024 Teacher of The Year nominees! This annual tradition spotlights exceptional educators across the states we serve by nominating one “Teacher of the Year” per state. Our eight state winners have been determined and will be awarded $500 each to support their classrooms along with six months of access to FREE educator professional development courses provided by SimpleK12. In addition to the state title, bragging rights and rewards, each state winner is put into the running to become the National Teachers of Tomorrow 2024 Teacher of the Year!
Now that our state winners have been selected, this is where YOU come in! It is time to determine which state winner will receive the coveted title of the 2024 Teacher of the Year. From April 9th to April 23rd, we are entrusting YOU with determining who will take home the title by casting your vote for the candidate you believe made the biggest impact during the 2023-2024 school year! This top educator will be honored with $5,000 for their classroom needs and one year of FREE educator professional development courses provided by SimpleK12. The winner will be determined once all the votes are in and announced in May 2024.
Please join us in celebrating these inspiring educators by reading more about them below and casting your vote for the 2024 National Teacher of the Year today!
Shannon Crawford – Marana, Arizona
District: Diocese of Tuscon
Grades: 3rd Grade
If you are selected as the 2024 Teacher of the Year, how will you use the $5,000 prize to make a positive impact on your students/classroom or advance your career as an educator?
My first focus would be on my classroom. I would like to update my classroom library by adding nonfictional books, specifically biographical texts. By adding more nonfictional books, students can open their world of knowledge. Having the opportunity to add biographical novel studies to enhance our understanding of key figures in social studies and science would be a wonderful addition to our current curriculum.
As an educator, I would like to focus on developing a strong differentiation program in reading and math within my classroom. I would like to purchase items that could be used to challenge students as well as items that could help bridge any gaps. The students would benefit from having additional resources within their space to enhance the learning experience. Items like leveled readers, short reading passages with comprehension questions to help with testing preparation, and additional math challenge books are just a few of the things I can incorporate into a positive learning environment to help students grow and develop skills to be successful. Having funds to attend workshops and conferences to further my education would also be beneficial.
Please share one of your favorite teaching/student/classroom moments from the 2023-2024 school year.
Early in the school year, I began what my third graders have now named “The Sticky Note of Goodness.” The objective: write down something good about a classmate. The instructions were simple, take the sticky note that has a name already on it and write something good about that classmate. The only other instructions was that the note should be simple, and since I was going to read the note aloud, it was going to be anonymous. At first, the students were unsure how to accomplish writing about someone that maybe was not a close friend. After a few words of encouragement, the students began writing. As the notes were returned to me, you could see the anticipation. As I read the first note, the students all started to grin. They continued to eagerly listen for their name and to hear what “good” someone saw in them. The smiles grew bigger, they started sitting up straighter. They began to see themselves as a good out loud reader, a fair teammate, a kind hero, a good drawer. They absolutely loved hearing how they looked in someone else’s eyes. It was so powerful that the students now request the activity. Not only do they want to hear about the good in themselves, but they want to share what they see is good in others. They have now asked if I will place my name on a note so that they can write something about me. It was supposed to be one lesson of finding the good in others and it has turned into something much bigger.This is what makes me return to the classroom everyday, seeing students not only grow academically, but seeing them succeed socially as well.
Andrew Vodopija – Loxahatchee, Florida
District: St. Lucie
Grades: Biology & Environmental Science 6-12
If you are selected as the 2024 Teacher of the Year, how will you use the $5,000 prize to make a positive impact on your students/classroom or advance your career as an educator?
$5,000 could go a long way for my classroom. I would put it towards multiple scientific apparatuses that can be used for complex science experiments for both Environmental and Forensics. I would love to buy class sets of different organelle slides as well as tissue samples in order to give students a hands on approach to these subjects through out the year through the use of microscopes. I would also love to purchase a couple fish tanks so that I could set up realistic biomes of what our waterways in Florida look like including, freshwater canals, saltwater reefs and brackish estuaries. Lastly I would love to use these funds to purchase different audio books and courses in order to become a better educator myself.
Please share one of your favorite teaching/student/classroom moments from the 2023-2024 school year.
One of my favorite lessons of the year is the pig dissection. I started doing these dissections when a I questioned a group of students who told me they had never dissected anything before. These students were able to dissect a fetal pig under my direction. It was a great introduction to our quarter lesson about the human body and the function of organs. Students were able to get their hands dirty and dive into a whole bunch of gunk in order to find the organs and label them accordingly. Many students were nervous at first but quickly warmed up to the idea of dissecting the pig. After the lesson, students had a better understanding of the positioning as well as the function of important structures in our own body as well.
Delaney Schad – Plainfield, Indiana
District: Indianapolis Public Schools
Grades: 4th Grade
If you are selected as the 2024 Teacher of the Year, how will you use the $5,000 prize to make a positive impact on your students/classroom or advance your career as an educator?
If honored as Teacher of the Year, I’d use the $5,000 prize to procure a variety of educational resources such as books, technology tools, and hands-on materials, enriching my classroom environment. These resources would cater to diverse learning styles and interests, fostering a more engaging and inclusive learning experience for my students. Additionally, I would allocate a portion of the prize money towards attending professional development workshops and conferences, enabling me to stay abreast of the latest teaching methodologies and pedagogical approaches. This investment in my own growth as an educator would ultimately benefit my students by ensuring that I am equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide them with a high-quality education. Furthermore, I would use part of the prize money to support the individual needs of my students, whether it be providing financial assistance for field trips, or purchasing supplies for special projects. By strategically allocating the prize money in these ways, I would be able to make a lasting and meaningful impact on both my students’ learning experiences and my own professional development as an educator.
Please share one of your favorite teaching/student/classroom moments from the 2023-2024 school year.
One particularly memorable morning circle during the 2023-2024 school year stands out vividly in my mind. As we went around sharing our highs and lows, we came to one student who shared something truly heartwarming. She expressed that her high wasn’t just from the weekend, but from reflecting on the entire school year. With genuine emotion, she described how she had come to realize that our classroom was her favorite ever. She explained that the bond and sense of community we had created together meant the world to her. Hearing her words filled my heart with immense pride. It was a powerful reminder of the impact that cultivating a supportive and inclusive classroom environment can have on students. In that moment, I felt grateful for the opportunity to foster such meaningful connections and to witness the profound effect it had on my students’ lives. It reaffirmed my belief in the importance of building relationships and creating a sense of belonging in the classroom. It was a beautiful reminder of the transformative power of education and the joy that comes from seeing students flourish not only academically but also emotionally and socially.
Keisha Rivers – Detroit, Michigan
District: Hazel Park School District
Grades: 10-12 Reading for Success & World History
If you are selected as the 2024 Teacher of the Year, how will you use the $5,000 prize to make a positive impact on your students/classroom or advance your career as an educator?
I will invest in my students by purchasing sensory items, random rewards, and other items to calm and help focus my students. I will also invest in more continuing education to further assist me in teaching this unique population of students.I would be honored to help my fellow teacher of Tomorrow, Ms Bryon Lott in her classroom as well.
Please share one of your favorite teaching/student/classroom moments from the 2023-2024 school year.
One of my favorite things to do is give my students projects that immerse them in the text and allow them to use their talents. When we completed the reading of the Great Gatsby, students were given a choice of two projects. They could compose and deliver a eulogy for Gatsby, selecting music, flowers (digital display), choosing which character they wanted to be or putting themselves in the novel. The other choice was to draw a map and label areas of significance in the book and explain the importance of what took place in the specified area. My students thoroughly enjoyed learning about literary devices, dynamic speaking voices, humor, music and floral arrangements in eulogies. The students who opted for the map project are aspiring artists. I loved watching them use various artistic abilities to express how they felt about certain elements of our novel and their interpretation of scenes as appeared in their minds.
Stephanie Pounders – Las Vegas, Nevada
District: Academica Nevada
Grades: Kindergarten
If you are selected as the 2024 Teacher of the Year, how will you use the $5,000 prize to make a positive impact on your students/classroom or advance your career as an educator?
Winning the $5,000 prize would kick-start my education journey towards an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) certification. This investment will equip me to better support individuals on the spectrum, aiding them to achieve their utmost potential.
Please share one of your favorite teaching/student/classroom moments from the 2023-2024 school year.
In 2023-2024, a standout moment was seeing a shy student become an active participant, confidently raising their hand. I offered tailored support and encouragement through small group activities, nurturing their newfound confidence and enthusiasm.
Misty Hughes – Stanfield, North Carolina
District: Stanly County Schools
Grades: K-5 Art
If you are selected as the 2024 Teacher of the Year, how will you use the $5,000 prize to make a positive impact on your students/classroom or advance your career as an educator?
Traditional art materials and methods will always have their place in the art room. However, in an effort to help students understand the significance of art in the world around them, and to allow students to express themselves creativity, it is important to use both traditional and modern tools. With this, I would like to incorporate more technology into the classroom through the use of virtual reality headsets and tablets.
Students of all ages use tablets to sketch, draw, paint, and sculpt. Apps for digital drawing help teach art fundamentals such as color, form, value, depth, space, and perspective. Through technology, students are not only able to create their own art digitally, but can also manipulate the traditional art they may have already created. Students can experience filmmaking and animation, and can also create digital portfolios to organize and chronicle their work. They can participate in online research of artists, artistic styles, or art history. Students can even take virtual tours of museums around the world.
Digital tools are driving innovation and infusing technology into the visual arts classroom, while developing creativity, critical thinking, and fostering students’ 21st-century learning skills. This also allows students to see the significance of artistic concepts and skills with relation to art-related careers. Through the use of technology, educators have a way to present information in new, effective ways, while making learning fun and unlocking endless learning opportunities.
Please share one of your favorite teaching/student/classroom moments from the 2023-2024 school year.
Possibly one of my favorite memories of the past year occurred on a school spirit day where students were allowed to dress up as what they would like to be when they grew up. So many students came up to me and told me that they were going to be an art teacher! They were so excited to share this news with me. This simple gesture was very significant to me because it made me think that I must be doing something right, and helped to validate that I am in this role for a reason. It is an amazing thought that you in some way may have been the inspiration for a student.
Angela Genica – Fort Mill, South Carolina
District: South Carolina Public School Charter District
Grades: Elementary Special Education
If you are selected as the 2024 Teacher of the Year, how will you use the $5,000 prize to make a positive impact on your students/classroom or advance your career as an educator?
My dream would be to use the $5000 prize to further my education and pursue a master’s degree but that is a ways off for me still. Until then, I would love to take personal development courses that would increase my knowledge and understanding of my student’s specific needs. I would like to take more in-depth courses on dyslexia, ADHD, Autism, and ODD. I would also spend some of this on specific tools for the classroom to help my current and future students with learning struggles.
Please share one of your favorite teaching/student/classroom moments from the 2023-2024 school year.
It is very hard for me to choose one specific moment in time as my favorite from this school year. My students help me to smile so often, even during the more difficult moments. I have loved watching my students grow in their ability to communicate with others by listening, responding, and asking questions using complete sentences. Every day we have a morning meeting and near the end, I ask a specific question that we all answer, including the assistants in the classroom. Tuesdays for example are called “Talk about Tuesdays”. A topic we talked about recently was “Talk about your favorite toy using at least one adjective”. I loved hearing the student’s responses and watching them really think about the adjectives they would use to describe their toy. They all enjoy sharing but they also love being able to ask the questions to the adults in the room and truly listen and make connections along the way. This is a special moment for my slow-processing students and has truly helped them to be better communicators. I have seen great growth in writing because of our “Morning Meeting” moments.
Peter Yorke – Killeen, Texas
District: Killeen ISD
Grades: 6-8 Behavioral Support
If you are selected as the 2024 Teacher of the Year, how will you use the $5,000 prize to make a positive impact on your students/classroom or advance your career as an educator?
I intend to use the scholarship fund to expand the learning environment and (professional and cultural) experience; to create more accessible ways of delivering a complete, rigorous education; to recognize and empower students’ confidence and morale, and to improve the circumstances for learning.
Professionally, I will use the funding to enroll in professional development courses that will promote insightful and innovative professional training and growth. Furthermore, it will allow me to bring and incorporate fresh teaching methods and strategies into the classroom. This includes encouraging creative teaching and learning paradigms, as well as providing and extending learning possibilities.
Academically, I plan to use the funds to purchase classroom enrichment activities, school supplies, and motivational videos that will inform and encourage additional learning experiences and provide more educational resources.
Motivationally, lastly, but certainly not least, a portion of the funds will support extracurricular school activities, including school clubs, student fundraising initiatives that support family and community fun events, family night programs, field trips, and to boost student academic morale by acquiring edible and tangible incentives for use as motivational tokens in the classroom.
Thank you for this amazing opportunity to meet the needs of students and their families, improve the quality of educational and professional experiences, support professional development, and encourage aspiring teachers to enter this esteemed and long-lasting field of teaching.
Please share one of your favorite teaching/student/classroom moments from the 2023-2024 school year.
I find great inspiration in each of my students’ individuality and the level of energy they bring to class. To accommodate their schedules and meet them where they are, I have come up with some unique ways to make learning fun and rewarding. This, in my opinion, may have a long-lasting impact, helping students to constantly remember who they are and develop into outstanding role models in their communities, schools, and homes.
Here are a handful that sometimes endure for weeks and last us the entire day.
Our classroom theme, “I believe,” urges students to identify connections between the theme and what they are learning. This offers a chance for thoughtful introspection and setting expectations for the class.
When we embrace our differences and celebrate our commonalities, our capacity to discuss our cultures, families, and life experiences as a class becomes an educational experience. Additionally, this serves as a continual reminder that, while every one of us has our own personality, we are all part of a larger community of individuals.
After everyone has completed the “I believe” statement and hung it on the classroom tree, we discover that we have an amazing ability to adapt to one another throughout the day.
I wrap up the class by having the students complete the sticky wall. They can only take an encouraging phrase off the wall if they write one for a buddy. This becomes the norm, and it benefits everyone involved.
In recognizing these educators, we do more than applaud individual achievement; we celebrate the collective spirit of teaching, the passion that drives educators to make a difference every day. As we look forward to this year’s winner announcement, let us remember the impact a single educator can have on countless lives. The Teacher of the Year award stands as a testament to the enduring power of education and the individuals who dedicate their lives to it. Thank you for joining us in this celebration, and here’s to the heroes of our classrooms!
