Lucas Daniels selected Mississippi’s 2018 State Teacher of the Year

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Lucas Daniels

Sixth grade math teacher Lucas Daniels has been selected Mississippi’s 2018 State Teacher of the Year.

Sixth grade math teacher Lucas Daniels has been selected by the state of Mississippi as their 2018 Teacher of the Year.

Lucas came from a family of educators. Both his mother and his father were teachers. Lucas earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2009, and he earned his Master’s degree in Education in 2011, both from Mississippi College, a Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi.

The honored educator inaugurated his career at Pearl Junior High School in Pearl, Mississippi, where he taught from 2011-2012. His next assignment was at Clinton High School in Clinton, Mississippi, where he worked from 2012-2013. Then he transferred to Petal High School, where he taught from  2013-2015. His current assignment is at Petal Upper Elementary School in Petal, Mississippi, where he has been from 2015 to the present.

To learn more about the impressive Lucas Daniels, view the video below:

Nevada’s Pilar Biller named her state’s 2018 Teacher of the Year

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Pilar Biller

Nevada art educator Pilar Biller named her state’s 2018 Teacher of the Year.

Pilar Biller, an art teacher at Damonte Ranch High School in the Washoe County School District, was named the 2018 Nevada Teacher of the Year by the Nevada Department of Education.

Pilar earned her Bachelor’s degree in Art from Gonzaga University in 1996. Gonzaga is a private, Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington. In 1998 Pilar earned her Master’s in Teaching and Education from Sierra Nevada College. Sierra Nevada College is a private, liberal arts university known for its programs in environmental science, English and creative writing, humanities, fine arts, and teacher education.

Pilar, a National Board Certified Teacher, has dedicated more than 18 years of her life in the classroom. The honored educator says it’s important for students to think creatively and to problem solve. She encourages her students to share their art in the community and to work with local service organizations.

“Pilar is an amazing art teacher who is so passionate and works just incredibly well with kids at all levels,” remarked Damonte Ranch Principal Darvel Bell. “Her classes are fun. Her kids love being in her classes,” he asserts. “I recently got to participate in one of her classes where the objective was to connect their art projects to businesses. This included developing a marketing plan and was a great example of how learning applies to the real world,” Bell remembers.

To learn more about Pilar, watch the video below:

Sara Reed named 2018 Wyoming State Teacher of the Year

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Congratulations to kindergarten teacher Sara Reed, who was named the 2018 Wyoming State Teacher of the Year. “Sara Reed is one of those outstanding individuals whose personal mission fits their professional mission,” says Boyd Brown, Superintendent of Campbell County School District #1. “During her 12 years as a kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Reed has taken every student in her class and worked to meet their needs, no matter what learning style they may have or other hardship they may be dealing with outside of school,” Brown declares. “Sara is a leader in her school, the district, and will be a great role model as the Wyoming State Teacher of the Year,” he concluded.

Sara was raised in a family of educators in Gillette, Wyoming. She has been a teacher at Hillcrest Elementary School for 12 years. She has a reputation for making every effort to get to know each student and their families so she can tailor her teaching to meet their needs. She also incorporates “movement with a purpose” into her classroom to help her students improve in their reading and writing, and to reduce behavior problems.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Sara developed the Kindergarten Mentor Program at Hillcrest. The program pairs each kindergartener with a sixth grader at the beginning of the school year to ease the transition into school. Sara matches students based on interest, gender, and culture, making sure that each English-Language Learner student has a sixth grader that can speak with them in their native language. Principal Brad Winter says the mentor program is one of the most positive and successful programs available at Hillcrest, and it has helped ease the stress of starting kindergarten for many of the students and their families.

Congratulations, Sara!

Educator Joshua Carroll named Maryland State Teacher of the Year for 2018

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Josh Carroll

Educator Joshua Carroll named Maryland State Teacher of the Year for 2018.

Joshua Carroll, a Language Arts and STEM teacher at South River High School in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, has been named his state’s 2018 Teacher of the Year.

Joshua earned his Bachelor’s degree in English from Boston College.

Joshua has taught in Anne Arundel County for 18 years and has spent his career teaching at the high school level. He began his career as an English teacher at Glen Burnie High School and moved to South River in 2006. He coordinated the school’s AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program for six years before moving to the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) program. In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Joshua is a member of the Principal’s Leadership Team and Chairperson for the Student Recognition Committee at South River High School. He is also the head cross country coach and assistant coach for track and field, and he serves on the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association committees for cross country, indoor track, and student leadership.

“Joshua’s ability to recognize the contributions students make to their schools and communities builds positive morale school-wide,” commented Maryland Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon. “Through encouraging involvement in the community, his students gain experience outside of the classroom, creating real-word understanding and establishing key skills. His innovative and comprehensive teaching style is an example to educators everywhere,” Salmon concludes.

For a brief inspirational message from this phenomenal teacher, view the video below:

 

Ivonne Orozco: New Mexico’s 2018 Teacher of the Year

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Ivonne Orozco

Spanish teacher Ivonne Orozco from Albuquerque named New Mexico’s 2018 Teacher of the Year.

When she was only 12 years old, Ivonne’s family immigrated to the United States from Mexico. She started school in the US as an English-language learner, but by the time she reached high school, she was enrolled in honors courses. She also ran cross country and track, and graduated in the top 10% of her class. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education at the University of New Mexico  “But I did not get here alone,” Ivonne concedes. “I had teachers and family that set core foundations along my journey that contributed to my success. These included high expectations, staying the course, building a strong voice, and valuing “teachers and education,” she describes.

After her college graduation, Ivonne garnered a position as a Spanish teacher at Public Academy for Performing Arts in Albuquerque. She is in her fourth year there. “Every day in my classroom, I keep in mind that all students can be successful, no matter where they traveled from to get here in the morning, or how much money their parents have, or how much they still have to learn. I keep my expectations high,” Ivonne declares. “It’s unclear why there’s still a misconception out there that students facing challenges at home can’t succeed at school. That is false,” she asserts. “Lowering standards for any of our kids is a disservice. They deserve high-quality standards, options, and teachers,” she concludes.

Ivonne is committed to creating interactive, challenging lessons for all students. She has worked with a team of teachers from across New Mexico to revise blueprints for state level Spanish End of Course exams. She also contributes to an effort to reduce LGBTQ adolescent suicide. In addition, Ivonne is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Secondary Education with a focus on Reflective Practice.