The Oregon Department of Education, in partnership with the Oregon Lottery, is proud to celebrate exemplary Oregon educators, both past and present.
Nellie Muir Elementary School
Woodburn
Willamette
“I believe that education is like dance. There are steps we learn, times when we fall, adaptations we make based on who is dancing, tradition, culture, community, and partnership.”
Clackamas High School
Clackamas
Clackamas
“A metaphor of my classroom is a dining table. There’s always a seat at the table, and whatever my student is hungry for, they’ll get.”
Irving Elementary School
Eugene
Lane
“My mission is to create an environment where all students feel they belong. I will continue my efforts each day to be an educator who makes a difference for equity and social justice.”
Franklin High School
Portland
Multnomah
“While being an educator can be daunting, tiresome, and even frustrating--the great moments are what we live, breathe, and die for.”
Churchill High School
Eugene
Lane
Mt. Tabor Middle School
Portland
Multnomah
Howard Elementary School
Medford
Southern Oregon
Juniper Elementary
Bend
High Desert
Gresham High School
Gresham
Multnomah
Multnomah Education Service District
Multnomah
Multnomah
Haines Elementary
Haines
InterMountain
SEIS@Roosevelt
Portland
Multnomah
Corvallis High School
Corvallis
Linn Benton Lincoln
Camas Ridge Community School
Eugene
Lane
West Salem High School
Salem
Willamette
Crook County Middle School
Prineville
High Desert
West Gresham Grade School
Gresham
Multnomah
Colton High School
Colton
Clackamas
Nyssa Elementary School
Nyssa
Malheur
Tigard High School
Tigard
NW Regional
Hugh Hartman Middle School
Redmond
High Desert
Lyle Elementary School
Dallas
Willamette
Ukiah School District 80R
Ukiah
InterMountain
Ontario Middle School
Ontario
Malheur
Clear Lake Elementary School
Keizer
Willamette
West Linn High School
West Linn
Clackamas
Clackamas High School
Milwaukie
Clackamas
Redmond High School
Redmond
High Desert
West Linn High School
West Linn
Clackamas
Goshen Elementary School
Eugene
Lane
Glendale High School
Glendale
Douglas
Eastwood Elementary School
Roseburg
Douglas
Bend Senior High School
Bend
High Desert
Springfield Middle School
Springfield
Lane
Obsidian Junior High School
Redmond
High Desert
Crater High School
Central Point
Southern Oregon
Gladstone High School
Gladstone
Clackamas
Redmond Senior High
Redmond
High Desert
North Bend High School
North Bend
South Coast
Tualatin Elementary School
Tualatin
NW Regional
Oregon School for the Blind
Salem
Willamette
Pilot Butte Junior High School
Bend
High Desert
Sam Barlow High School
Gresham
Multnomah
Reedsport High School
Reedsport
South Coast
Crater High School
Central Point
Southern Oregon
Tualatin School
Tualatin
NW Regional
Brown Junior High School
Hillsboro
NW Regional
McMinnville High School
McMinnville
NW Regional
Winston Churchill High School
Eugene
Lane
Waluga Junior High School
Lake Oswego
Clackamas
Kenwood Elementary School
Bend
High Desert
Twality Junior High School
Tigard
Clackamas
Blossom Gulch Elementary and Marshfield Junior High Schools
Coos Bay
South Coast
Benson High School
Portland
Multnomah
Lake Oswego Junior High School
Lake Oswego
Clackamas
Philomath High School
Philomath
Linn Benton Lincoln
Hillsboro Union High School
Hillsboro
NW Regional
Tillamook High School
Tillamook
NW Regional
McMinnville Junior & Senior High School
McMinnville
Willamette
Ashland Elementary
Ashland
Southern Oregon
Albany Union High School
Albany
Linn Benton Lincoln
Meriwether Lewis Elementary School
Portland
Multnomah
Hood River High School
Hood River
Columbia Gorge
Monmouth Elementary School
Monmouth
Willamette
“We have the chance to build a society in which everyone belongs no matter their gender, race, ability, gender identification or sexual orientation. Schools can play a vital role in this work.”
“Every student has potential, every student has an important story, every student has a place in our society, and it is our duty to promote and advocate this.”
“My favorite part of teaching at a small school is getting to know every student individually and helping them reach their fullest potential.”
“I engage my students in real-life problems in their own environment and through worldly events. This helps students see outside themselves and fosters problem-solving skills for later in life.”
“Music cannot exist in a bubble it must be shared with friends, family and the community. This can be done when hard-working educators work together and create meaningful and memorable experiences.”
“Education is creating individuals who can approach life with an open mind, the ability to face and overcome obstacles, take on impossible challenges, establish morals, character and work ethic.”
“We have an obligation to our community, our state and our country, to provide an education that transcends the classroom.”
“I help my students find a positive balance between academics and mental health by accepting them as they are, and by doing my best to provide them with an engaging educational experience.”
“By focusing on problem solving, I am helping students to improve skills which can be applied to everyday life including perseverance, critical thinking, and communication of ideas.”
“There is an enduring message to our community members that cannot go unnoticed: learning is important, and we care about you and your continued learning.”
“I am a passionate, creative, intentional leader who finds the spark in every student by ensuring a community that fosters safety, individuality, radical empathy and belonging.”
“We need to make sure all voices are heard and all students are part of the decision-making, creating a space for students to speak. ”
“Students are encouraged to be free thinkers who solve and explain problems with creativity and clarity by creating an environment where they feel safe, have fun and learn intrinsically.”
“My engagement with students and their families shows them that I care about them beyond the classroom, they see that I am there for them whenever they need assistance.”
“Asking students to take risks, think critically, and tell their personal truths is not possible without a safe space where every student has a sense of belonging and a strong structure of support.”
“I believe that education is like dance. There are steps we learn, times when we fall, adaptations we make based on who is dancing, tradition, culture, community, and partnership.”
“My best lessons have always come about unexpectedly and resulted in me learning just as much as my students.”
“As a teacher who has students go down every possible career path, it is on me to make clear that every purposeful path is valued and important.”
“In celebrating our differences while recognizing our similar challenges, we can use this unprecedented time to improve the future of our nation through innovative education.”
“Teachers should find joy in the acquisition of knowledge that adds to their toolbox, or rearranges the tools they have that were just lost at the bottom of the box.”
“Relationships are at the center of everything I do, and they ignite the spirit of learning with my students.”
“Schools cannot be a place to judge effort. We must foster acceptance that each life experience gives the opportunity to facilitate growth and show grace to others.”
“As students discover their musical strengths, a safe space provides trust to take risks, try new things musically, and make mistakes to learn and grow.”
“Every child in our country deserves the opportunity to experience an education that engages their mind and sparks their curiosity.”
“As a teacher, I am but one piece in an ever-changing puzzle unlocking fulfillment and success for a child.”
“Because of my confidence in the principles of love, acceptance and guidance, my classroom operates on laughter, human connections and happiness.”
“As a STEM teacher, I provide real-world learning opportunities as students are engaged when the curriculum is relevant and connected to their community.”
“Through my use of an integrated curriculum focusing on student interests, strengths and passions, my students are succeeding and have dreams I know they will achieve.”
“I am a great teacher not just because I know my content, but because I love all of my students and I let them know that.”
“The classroom is a glorious and hallowed space where learning takes place that may be planned, but often, if not always, goes far beyond the intended.”
“If we as educators live each day with the courage and determination we showed during the pandemic, there is no stopping us!”
“When we as educators question our biases and reflect on our practice in meaningful ways, we approach expertise and advance the potential of our youth.”
“With appropriate scaffolds and teacher collaboration across subjects, students can be given space, time and freedom to make their learning come to life.”
“Our students are our beacon. They guide us in our instruction and give us a sense of hope for the future.”
“Students, the thing that will make your eyes light up, the future that you will have, is probably something you don’t even know about yet, so keep every door open that you can!”
“It is our collective purpose to inculcate and foster a culture where students are connected, valued, and resilient to withstand all that life will bring them on their journey.”
“Students will share their victories with you, and in that, it becomes your victory as well. So, know your students, foster those trusting relationships, and watch them succeed!”
“I am so happy to represent the greatest profession there is. Helping young people find their gifts and see in themselves what we see in them is what all teachers strive to do.”
“It is truly my pleasure to receive my students’ energy and enthusiasm and let it infuse my teaching. My students remind me every day why I became a teacher.”
“By understanding the situations that many of our students encounter each day, our minds and hearts will be open to making sure we are emotionally present for them.”
“Education is powerful, memorable, real, and emancipatory when it transcends the classroom, and these experiences give students reasons to care and engage authentically.”
“I aim to demonstrate what it looks like to be vulnerable, to take chances, to experiment, to collaborate, and to take the kind of risks that evolve learning systems.”
“As an educator, my goal is to create a generation of informed citizens who understand what science is and how it can inform their choices.”
“I believe in the power of classroom creativity, that movement is for everyone, and that given the right exposure to different activities every student can find something they enjoy!”
“Call it a village, call it a community, call it a coalition. As educators and impassioned supporters of education, we know we cannot do it alone.”
“If I’m going to claim that every bit of seat time counts, I better make sure that my classroom feels humanizing, relevant, rigorous, engaging, valuable and empowering.”
“Students need to feel safe to strive. We must provide an environment in which students can challenge themselves with rigorous coursework without fear.”
“We are a profession of optimists. Our best selves think the future is worth our time and energy, which is powerful.”
“I believe with every ounce of my being that relationships are the most important tool in a classroom and the best way to increase student outcomes.”
“Think back to the reasons you chose education as a career path, and bring the same energy as you did the first day of school. ”
“We need passionate, introspective and collaborative colleagues and lawmakers to help ensure that the desired success of our students comes to fruition.”
“It is our job, as teachers, as administrators, as human beings to find the inherent value in each and every one of our students, and help them grow.”
“Failure can be a new beginning, because tomorrow is always an opportunity to change the world through relationships. This is why I teach.”
“Building the bridge between students and learning happens when we acknowledge their past and invite the entire school community to be part of their fight for success.”
“I have been made a better person, more patient, caring, and concerned because of my students’ strength in adversity, perseverance in dire circumstances, and true grit.”
“Teaching is the most beautiful and blessed profession. It has and always will be the true testament of the human spirit.”
“Each student brings potential and possibility, and it’s up to us to keep pushing and digging and discovering new ways of ensuring that all of that potential blossoms, grows and thrives. ”
Oregon Teacher of the Year Finalist
“Why do I teach? Each day is an opportunity for me to love and be loved. Who wouldn’t want that for a career? Love your kids as if they're your own. In truth, they are. ”
“Educating students is challenging. But it is also one of the most rewarding endeavors in which a human being can engage.”
“We live in the most perfect scientific lab. It is just ripe with examples of the subject matter we are teaching. Explore it, manipulate it, and study it.”
“When staff, students, parents, and community members adopt an, “All in, can do: working together to make a difference” attitude, we can impact achievement for all students.”
“If students are doing science they're learning science. Content's important, but devoid of the process, it's sterile, dry and dull. Science is about active not passive learning.”
Oregon Teacher of the Year Finalist
“In a world of mixed messages, bias, mediocrity and selfishness, be a change agent. Instill the love of learning and above all else, love our children unconditionally.”
“As educators, it is our job to give our students a voice and a place for them to dream big. By doing so, we are helping to facilitate our own future.”
“I expect my students to do their best work every day, because every day, I'm doing my best work for them. My students believe in themselves because they know I believe in them.”
“My motto always has been “Hands on, minds on, hearts on… learning.” Hence every lesson I teach, I am very aware of these criteria that guide the way I connect with students.”
“On a daily basis, teachers challenge students to develop 21st century learning skills by providing opportunities to collaborate, communicate, and create.”
“When students know they can affect their community by applying what they learn in school, we know learning transcends the classroom.”
Oregon Teacher of the Year Finalist
“I want every student to leave my classroom equipped to read news with the ability to think critically, recognize bias if one exists, and form opinions about the issue at hand.”
Southern Oregon Success Academy
Merlin
Southern Oregon
Coos Bay School District
Coos Bay
South Coast
Jewell School District
Jewell
NW Regional
“My mission is to create an environment where all students feel they belong. I will continue my efforts each day to be an educator who makes a difference for equity and social justice.”
Know a great teacher? Fill out the nomination form and tell us what makes them exceptional!
We notify qualifying nominees and invite them to apply for Teacher of the Year.
Each of Oregon’s 19 Education Service Districts review applications from their area and choose a winner for their region.
Finalists are chosen from among the regional winners, and then the designated candidate will be recommended to the Director of the Oregon Department of Education as the next Oregon Teacher of the Year.