Nebraska’s 2018 Teacher of the Year is Sydney Jensen, a 9th grade Language Arts teacher from Lincoln, Nebraska.

Nebraska named Sydney Jensen of Lincoln as their 2018 Teacher of the Year. Sydney has taught 9th grade Language Arts at Lincoln High School since 2014.

Sydney is a native of Eatonton, Georgia. She credits her grandparents, who are both public school teachers, for the inspiration for her decision to become an educator. She also credited her own experience attending public schools. “I’m a product of public education,” she says. “I knew I wanted to be a public school teacher because I had so many great teachers who helped me,” she continues. She inaugurated her teaching career in 2013 as a seventh and eighth grade English teacher at Dawes Middle School. She has taught a total of six years.

In addition to her classroom experience, this inspirational educator is an instructional coach and certified Trainer of Trainers for the Classroom Instruction that Works model. She is also an Instructional Team Leader for the English Professional Learning Community.

For her work in education, Sydney has won several awards. She garnered a Golden Telephone Award from Lincoln High. She also earned the 2018 Lincoln Public Schools Inspire Educator Award.

“My message to all teachers is that we have to teach courageously for the sake of our students,” Sydney declares. “We absolutely must push ourselves to try new strategies, no matter how far outside of our comfort zones. This is the same message we want for our students – live and learn courageously,” she concludes.

Sydney earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Education from the University of Georgia in 2013, and she earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Doane University in Nebraska.