Iowa Teacher of the Year

The Iowa Teacher of the Year award was established in 1958 and is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Education through an appropriation from the Iowa legislature. The Iowa Department of Education established the Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year award in 2024 to recognize exceptional teachers, representing all nine education regions of the state, who demonstrate excellence in the classroom and who have made a significant impact on student outcomes and their fellow educators. The nine Regional Teachers of the Year serve as finalists for the Iowa Teacher of the Year award.

The awards provide an opportunity to recognize Iowa teachers across the state who advance student learning through evidence-based instruction, empower students with multiple pathways to postsecondary success, learn from and invest in fellow educators and serve students in partnership with families. 

The Iowa Teacher of the Year serves as an ambassador for the Iowa Department of Education and a representative of and liaison for all Iowa educators.

Nomination Information

Anyone, including school administrators, colleagues, students, parents, college faculty and associations, may nominate teachers for the award. Self-nominations and nominations by family members are not accepted. Winners are chosen by a committee that includes representatives of the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa State Education Association, the School Administrators of Iowa, the Parent Teachers Association, the past Iowa TOY, and representatives from higher education institutions.

Nominations for the 2026 Iowa TOY are closed. Nominations for the 2027 Iowa TOY will be available in February 2026.

Iowa TOY Speaker Request Form

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The Iowa Teacher of the Year is available to speak at schools, conferences and education events. Submit a speaker request form and bring an award-winning educator to your audience.

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2025 Iowa TOY Melanie Bloom

Melanie Bloom, a 16-year veteran agriculture teacher from Sioux Central Community School District in Sioux Rapids, is the 2025 Iowa Teacher of the Year. 

See photos and watch the announcement video from the event.

“Learning from Melanie Bloom means something more than just reading from textbooks or preparing for tests,” Governor Reynolds said. “It involves experiencing a field not only of study but also of building and doing—and that means preparing for life. This is what teaching looks like at its very best, and it’s no wonder Melanie is the first CTE and agriculture educator in many years to become Iowa’s Teacher of the Year. It was a pleasure to present this award to Melanie in the presence of her students and colleagues.”

“Iowa’s amazing teachers, like Melanie Bloom, provide students with what they need to meet high expectations and realize their incredible potential,” Snow said. “Melanie creates a classroom community where students are deeply engaged in what they are learning and why it matters. Through career-connected learning, she empowers students to make informed postsecondary choices and succeed in what comes next. Melanie invests in new and future educators, and believes that, together, our students make the greatest difference in the world.”

Bloom was selected from nine finalists who were named last month as Iowa’s first-ever Regional Teachers of Year representing all education regions of the state. Bloom also serves as the Prairie Lakes Regional Teacher of the Year.

“Getting to know students, each of them, who they are, where they’re coming from, what they’re bringing to the classroom, I think that is the most fun part of teaching,” Teacher of the Year Melanie Bloom said.

Bloom is an Iowa native, farmer and agriculture educator who established the district’s first full-time agriculture program and serves as the FFA advisor. With about one in five Iowans earning their living in agriculture and agriculture-related industries, Melanie helps students explore diverse career opportunities in agriculture-related fields through engaging classroom instruction and work-based learning experiences.

“I think students need to be exposed to as many different careers of interest as early as they can,” Bloom said. “My job is to find and connect to opportunities and then prepare my students to take advantage of those opportunities.”

Beyond her classroom, Bloom is an expert in the development and implementation of high-quality agriculture instructional materials. She has served as a beginning teacher mentor and faculty member in an Iowa teacher preparation program. Bloom is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in agriculture education, working to support the implementation of evidence-based instructional practices.

2026 Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year and TOY Finalists

Central Rivers Regional Teacher of the Year

Allison Pargeon, Montezuma Community School District

Pargeon, a mathematics and computer science teacher at Montezuma Junior High and High School, has 26 years of experience engaging students in upper-level courses, including algebra, calculus, statistics and computer science. She has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education and applied computer science from William Penn University and a master’s degree in mathematics with a secondary teaching emphasis from the University of Northern Iowa. Pargeon also teaches college-level math and statistics and instructs pre-service teachers in algebra and geometry to prepare them to teach in K-8 classrooms. She is a former recipient of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching award and serves the district beyond the classroom as a grant writer, computer science career development liaison, National Honor Society sponsor and cheer coach. Pargeon believes that for students to be truly engaged, they must have fun and see how what they are learning is relevant to their lives.

Meet Allison Pargeon

Grant Wood Regional Teacher of the Year

Marissa Moore, Clear Creek-Amana Community School District

Moore, an English language arts teacher at Clear Creek-Amana High School, has a decade of experience creating a classroom of critical thinkers and engaged learners. She has a bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University and a master’s degree in education in study areas of English language arts and special education from the University of Pittsburgh. Moore currently teaches high school English, including AP language and composition and also has experience as a special education teacher in Westminster, Colorado. She enjoys working closely with her students, including in her role as student council advisor and advisor for the Clear Creek-Amana school newspaper, which was selected as a top 15 news team finalist by the Iowa High School Press Association last spring. She serves on numerous leadership teams within the district, and supports the individual learning needs of her learners, empowering them to take responsibility for their own learning.

Meet Marissa Moore

Great Prairie Regional Teacher of the Year

Tony Onesto, Burlington Community School District

Onesto, an art teacher at Burlington High School, is a veteran teacher with 29 years of experience helping and supporting emerging artists explore their talents. He has a bachelor’s degree in art education from Morningside University, and master’s degrees in education and educational leadership from Viterbo University. Onesto is a former Iowa Middle School Art Educator of the Year and also leads the Allied Creators Studio to support young artists. Over the last three years, his students in his AP art classes have earned higher scores than the state and national averages. He has presented at state and national art education conferences, builds strong community partnerships and ensures that every student has the support and accommodations they need to succeed. In Onesto’s classroom, students can nurture their imagination and express their creativity with confidence.

Meet Tony Onesto

Green Hills Regional Teacher of the Year

Kelly Myers, Murray Community School District and Homegrown Christian Learning Center

Having recently transitioned from Murray Community School District, Myers is currently a K-8 math and science teacher at Homegrown Christian Learning Center in Osceola. She has over 18 years of teaching experience also spanning Des Moines Public Schools, Interstate 35 Community School District and Clark Community School District, with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, general science from York College in Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in science education from Northeastern State University. Having served as dean of students, new teacher mentor, and model teacher, among other leadership roles, Myers impactfully contributes to the growth and success of her fellow educators. She is a state and national leader in STEM instructional innovation, including certification through the NASA Endeavor STEM program. Myers is an advocate for each of her students and creates a classroom community where students feel valued, confident and empowered to take risks in their learning. 

Meet Kelly Myers

Heartland Regional Teacher of the Year

Gregory Barord, Des Moines Public Schools

Barord, a marine biology teacher at Des Moines Public Schools’ Central Campus, is a teacher with 14 years of experience in the field. He has a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from Texas A&M University, and a master’s degree and doctorate degree in biology, both from City University of New York. He regularly integrates classroom instruction in his marine biology program with hands-on applications at the district, community, national and world levels, which strengthens student engagement and allows for students to explore and share their experiences more broadly. Barord serves on numerous leadership teams within the district, including as an instructional leader and new teacher mentor, teaches college-level courses, serves as an expert advisor, speaker and contributor to numerous scientific advisory groups and conferences. Barold believes in making science accessible and engaging through hands-on, experiential learning and encourages students to challenge themselves, through field study expeditions and applying for prestigious youth ambassador programs.

Meet Gregory Barord

Keystone Regional Teacher of the Year

Jen Ries, Maquoketa Valley Community School District

Ries, a Spanish teacher at Maquoketa Valley High School in Delhi, has 16 years of experience. She has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and secondary education from Central College as well as a master’s degree in education and an English language learner endorsement, both from Morningside University. Ries is a bilingual curriculum developer and has established the Iowa State Seal of Biliteracy and the Global Seal of Biliteracy for Maquoketa Valley students, with an impressive 60% success rate for 11th and 12th graders. She serves as a leader within the district, including as a new teacher mentor and team building coordinator. She has led numerous student learning groups on international trips to Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and just this July, to Spain. She believes that learning is most profound when it is personally relevant and when students are active participants in constructing their own understanding.

Meet Jen Ries

Mississippi Bend Regional Teacher of the Year

Dawn Rheingans, North Scott Community School District

Rheinigans, a 7th grade science teacher at North Scott Community School District, has 29 years of experience turning complex topics into approachable experiences that spark imagination. She has a bachelor’s degree in education from Drake University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Illinois at Springfield. She is committed to professional growth and has served for many years as a teacher leader on the building leadership team. In these roles, she has developed a data-driven approach to inform her instruction and develop timely interventions, ensuring all students receive the support they need to be successful. In addition, she also serves as a junior high school volleyball coach and a high school track coach. Rheingans believes that science is a process of discovery, not a collection of facts. She emphasizes the importance of collaborative learning and hands-on exploration to make science both accessible and exciting.

Meet Dawn Rheingans

Northwest Regional Teacher of the Year

Stephanie Pritts, Sheldon Community School District

Pritts, an instructional coach at Sheldon Community School District, is a 23-year educator having primarily taught first and third grades. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Buena Vista University and a master’s degree in general education from Briar Cliff University. She leads the district’s new teacher mentor program and facilitates the teacher leadership team to best support all learners. Pritts has organized and facilitated a literacy conference for the school district aligned to the Science of Reading and supports the implementation of high-quality instructional materials and strong multi-tiered systems of support for students. She builds strong partnerships with families, hosting literacy nights to help reinforce at home what their children are learning at school. Pritts is committed to supporting both student achievement and teacher development, analyzing student data, implementing high-impact strategies and ensuring instructional effectiveness.

Meet Stephanie Pritts

Prairie Lakes Regional Teacher of the Year

Kristi Mentink, Harris-Lake Park Community School District

Mentink, a kindergarten teacher at Harris-Lake Park Elementary School, has 28 years of experience. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Dana College and was selected to serve on the district’s leadership team and as a professional learning community lead due to her proactive approach to problem solving and commitment to improving teaching strategies that have the greatest impact on student outcomes. Mentink actively collaborates with her fellow educators, seeks professional development opportunities to enhance her teaching and generously shares her experience with new teachers. She has participated in the Iowa STEM Externship Program and continues to connect her classroom instruction to real-world experiences so young students can see how the literacy and math concepts they learn in the classroom can be used in everyday situations.

Meet Kristi Mentink

Past Iowa TOY Recipients

**One of four contenders for National Teacher of the Year
*National Teacher of the Year