60 educators recognized as the best in their fields

State Board, Illinois Education Association, and Illinois Federation of Teachers honor outstanding teachers, librarians, and health professionals from across the state

NORMAL – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) today joined the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) and the Illinois Education Association (IEA) to honor 59 educators whose professional organizations selected them as the best in their fields during the 2017-18 school year. The eighth annual Exemplary Teacher Recognition Award Luncheon held in Normal honored education professionals in diverse disciplines from world language instructors and nutrition experts to the Dance Teacher of the Year.

“Educators help students imagine and aspire to futures they would not otherwise think possible," said State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith, Ph.D. “Teachers, health professionals, librarians, coaches, and other caring adults make our schools places of belonging for all students. Educators see the possibilities in young people before they can even see them in themselves. I express deep thankfulness for the educators across the state who make a strong social, economic, and civic future possible for all our communities."

ISBE and the two state teacher associations co-hosted this year's luncheon at the Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.

“The Illinois Federation of Teachers proudly sponsors the Teacher Recognition luncheon each year to honor the dedication and innovation of our outstanding educators," said IFT President Dan Montgomery, a veteran English teacher. “We have world-class teachers in Illinois and it brings us great joy to take the time to celebrate the best in the state."

ISBE names a Teacher of the Year and recognizes more than 200 educators nominated by their communities as part of the Those Who Excel program each fall. The annual Exemplary Teacher Recognition Award Luncheon provides an opportunity to honor other award-winning education professionals from across the state.

“The Illinois Education Association is always proud to help sponsor the Teacher Recognition Luncheon, a wonderful way to thank and acknowledge Illinois' many outstanding educators," said IEA President Kathi Griffin. “The award winners have shown exemplary teaching in each of their fields, and they remind us that great education is being delivered to our students every day in every school in Illinois."

ISBE, IEA, and IFT recognized the following exemplary educators today:

Educator	Recognition	Organization	School
Shayna Adelman	New Teacher of the Year	Technology Education Association	James B. Conant High School
Janice Amann	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Mascoutah Elementary
Emily Auffenberg	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Joseph Arthur Middle School
Angie Barnett	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Parkview Elementary School
Gretchen Brinza	IL STEM Educator of the Year	ETA hand2mind	Alcott Elementary School
Lisa Bounds	Clarissa Hug Teacher of the Year	Illinois Council for Exceptional Children	Prairie Central Junior High School
Candace Caveny	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	O'Fallon Township High School
Ginger Cramsey	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Lewis & Clark Elementary School
Phillip Crews	Teacher of the Year	Illinois Music Education Association	Rich Central High School
Julie Daab	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	New Athens Junior High School
Zandra Davis-Joshua	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Gordon Bush Elementary School
Ellen Ericson	Distinguished Service Award for Exemplary Teaching	Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages	Mahomet-Seymour High School
Doug Falk	Excellence in Teaching Award	Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture	Cuba High School
Mark Foellmer	Middle School P.E. Teacher of the Year	Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance	Wentworth Junior High School
Stephanie Ferguson	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Signal Hill School
Jean Hasenstab	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Whiteside Middle School
Mike Havener	Ruth Toor Grant for Strong Public Libraries	American Association of School Librarians	Springfield High School
Jim Hitchcock	18^th District Citizenship Education Teacher of the Year	Illinois Veterans of Foreign Wars	Coal City Middle School
Mike Jones	Illinois STEM Educator of the Year	ETA hand2mind	Bloomington Junior High School
Sarah Jones	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	East Alton Wood River High School
Wendy Kassing	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Shiloh Middle School
Tami Kelley	Promising New Teacher Award	Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics	Rock Island-Milan School District 41
Julia Kessel	Outstanding Chinese Teacher of the Year	Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages	New Trier High School
Joyce Kim	2017 Claes Nobel Educator of the Year	National Society of High School Scholars	Prospect High School
Angie Kuchnicki	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Lovejoy Elementary School
Sheila Laird	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Highland Primary School
Lydia Latham	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Marissa Junior and Senior High School
Stacy McQueen	Teacher of the Year in the Classroom Program	Sangamon and Morgan County Farm Bureau	Virginia Elementary School
Jennifer Mailander	Award for New Teacher of Foreign Language	Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages	Uplift Community High School
Lyndsey Mehrtens	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	William Holliday Elementary School
Carrie Metze	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Triad High School
Cindy Meyer	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Millstadt Consolidated School
Karen Monhardt	Mary Hoffman Award	Illinois Music Education Association	Bloomington High School
Rebecca Nelson	Finalist for 2017 Claes Nobel Educator of the Year	National Society of High School Scholars	Oswego East High School
Darcy O'Connor	2018 Educator of the Year	Illinois Computing Educators	New Holland-Middletown Elementary School
Keith Padgett	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Belleville East High School
Kirsten Perry	2018 School Counselor of the Year, National and State	American School Counselor Association	Lawndale Community Academy
James Roberto	Young Professional Teacher of the Year	Illinois Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance	Portage Park Elementary School
Lisa Robertson	Pamela J. Farris Rural Classroom Library Award	Illinois Reading Council	Lake Crest Elementary School
Sheila Ruh	2018 Educator of the Year	Illinois Computing Educators	Westmont Junior High School
Spencer Saal	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Madison Senior High School
Kara Sand	Outstanding Elementary School Teacher	Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics	Edison Elementary School
Shelly Schaefer	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Roosevelt School
Lauren Seka-Steward	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Emge Junior High School
Ashley Shinn	Family Literacy Award	Illinois Reading Council	Nielson Elementary School
James Stark	2017 Farrand Baker Illinois Latin Teacher of the Year	Illinois Classical Conference	Collinsville High School
Linda Tessereau	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Wolf Branch Middle School
Scott Todnem	Health Teacher of the Year	Illinois Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance	Scullen Middle School
Brian Tucker	Jerry Johns Reading Educator of the Year Award	Illinois Reading Council	Wild Rose Elementary School
Haley Underwood	Elementary P.E. Teacher of the Year	Illinois Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance	O'Neill Middle School
Elvia Uriostegui	Outstanding Middle School Teacher	Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics	Daniel Webster Middle School
Cathy Vano	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Albert Cassens Elementary School
Jana Vasquez	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Edward A. Fulton Junior High School
Sandy Voss	School Nutrition Champion	Illinois State Board of Education	Marquardt School District 15
Christopher Wendelin	Finalist for 2017 Claes Nobel Educator of the Year	National Society of High School Scholars	Amos Alonzo Stagg High School<
Betsy Westergreen	Secondary Teacher of the Year	Illinois Business Education Association	Flanagan-Cornell High School
Mary Wiltjer	T.E. Rine Award for Excellence in Secondary Mathematics Teaching	Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics	Glenbrook South High School
Corynn Wheelan	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	High Mount School
Johannah Wininsky	Dance Teacher of the Year	Illinois Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance	New Trier High School
Lori Zeiter	Excellence in Teaching Award	Emerson	Belle Valley School District 119

60 educators recognized as the best in their fields

State Board, Illinois Education Association, and Illinois Federation of Teachers honor outstanding teachers, librarians, and health professionals from across the state

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