Several educators were honored Wednesday in Des Moines by Gov. Kim Reynolds, Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg and Iowa Department of Education Director Chad Aldis during the 2023 Outstanding Iowa Teachers Recognition Luncheon.
[See photos from the luncheon]
The luncheon recognized finalists and winners of the Iowa Teacher of the Year award, the Iowa Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, and the State History Teacher of the Year award (names and schools are listed below).
In welcoming the educators, Iowa Department of Education Director Chad Aldis reminded them what a difference they make in the lives of their students.
“Each of you here today has been that spark of inspiration impacting the lives of your students,” he said. “As a former student whose own life was changed by an outstanding teacher, I want to thank you for believing in your students’ potential, thank you for challenging us, and thank you for opening doors we didn’t know existed.”
Krystal Colbert, the 2023 Iowa Teacher of the Year, gave the keynote speech. Colbert is a long-time advocate of having a growth mindset, for both herself and her students.
“Every day I step into a classroom, I choose to pass grace on to my students, my colleagues, and myself,” she said. “I choose to love, despite feeling frustration or burn out. I choose to show kindness when a mistake has been made. I choose to be gentle when someone’s having a hard day. I choose to show up when I want to give up. I choose grace.”
The three-course luncheon was created by students at the Des Moines Area Community College’s Iowa Culinary Institute. Music was provided by the Norwalk Community School District’s Lakewood Elementary School’s fifth grade band, which was directed by Elaine Menke.
Those honored were:
- 2022 Iowa History Teacher of the Year Suzan Turner, whose award is sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, co-teaches seventh grade history at Nashua-Plainfield Junior Senior High School in Nashua.
- Iowa Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching mathematics awardee Angela Bonthuis. Bonthuis teaches kindergarten at Gilbert Elementary School in Gilbert.
- Iowa Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching science awardee Sarah Borzo. Borzo taught sixth grade science in the Waukee Community School District for a decade and currently is the education and outreach coordinator with the Des Moines Metro Waste Authority.
- 2023 Teacher of the Year awardee Krystal Colbert. Colbert teaches second grade at Mitchellville Elementary School in the Southeast Polk Community School District.
- 2023 Teacher of the Year finalist Lori Brandt. Brandt is a special educator in the Sioux Center High School in Sioux Center.
- 2023 Teacher of the Year finalist Levi Letsche. Letsche teaches mathematics at Sheldon High School in Sheldon.
- 2023 Teacher of the Year finalist Amy Phillips. Phillips teaches kindergarten at Franklin Elementary School in the Marshalltown Community School District.
- 2023 Teacher of the Year finalist Corrine Schalk. Schalk teaches kindergarten at Jackson Elementary School in the Cedar Rapids Community School District
- 2023 Teacher of the Year finalist Katie Weldon. Weldon teaches mathematics at Norwalk Middle School in the Norwalk Community School District.
The luncheon was hosted by the Iowa Department of Education. Sponsors included the National Science Foundation on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
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