Home Minnesota Educator Meet the 2025 Teacher of the Year semifinalists

Meet the 2025 Teacher of the Year semifinalists

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The 2025 Teacher of the Year nomination process is progressing, with 31 semifinalists selected from an initial pool of 142 candidates. Nominations began in November, followed by portfolio submissions from nominees. A panel of 21 community leaders reviewed these portfolios to choose the semifinalists. The panel will now re-evaluate the semifinalists’ portfolios and video submissions to select about 10 finalists. The current Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Tracy Byrd, will announce the winner on May 4 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Education Minnesota organizes and underwrites the Teacher of the Year program, which includes teachers from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, Early Childhood Family Education, and Adult Basic Education, from both public and private schools. The program is also supported by Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, SMART Technologies, and Expedition Credit Union.

The semifinalists for the 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year are listed alphabetically by last name, along with heir respective districts and schools.

  • Stacy Bartlett, Stillwater Area Public Schools, Stillwater Area High School
  • Garrett Bruce, Robbinsdale Area Public Schools, Robbinsdale Cooper High School
  • Katelyn Bruce, Minneapolis Public Schools, Lake Harriet Lower Campus
  • Jodi Carufel, Bloomington Public Schools, Olson Middle School
  • Ryan Collins, Mahtomedi Public Schools, Mahtomedi Middle School
  • Ben Cuevas-Rengstorf, Minneapolis Public Schools, Roosevelt High School
  • Christoph Dundas, Austin Public Schools, Austin High School
  • Laura Eid, Eden Prairie Schools, Central Middle School
  • Ted Erickson, Anoka-Hennepin School District, Blaine High School
  • Megan Frantzen, South St. Paul Public Schools, Kaposia Education Center
  • Ted Gehring, St. Francis Area Schools, St. Francis Middle School
  • Jonathan Gilmer, Lakeville Public School District, Lakeville South High School
  • Megan Hill, Minnetonka Public Schools, Groveland Elementary
  • John Horton, Saint Paul Public Schools, J.J. Hill Montessori
  • Amanda Jagdeo, Saint Paul Public Schools, Hamline Elementary School
  • Travis Koupal, Minneapolis Public Schools, Justice Page Middle School
  • Zoe Kourajian, Mounds View Public Schools, Edgewood Middle School
  • Tim Larson, Medford Public Schools, Medford High School
  • Criselda Martinez, Rochester Public Schools, Riverside Elementary
  • Katherine Norrie, Northfield Public Schools, Northfield High School
  • Michael Okwabi, Eden Prairie Schools, Eden Prairie High School
  • Soren Olesen, Roseau Community School District, Roseau High School
  • Sean Padden, Roseville Area Schools, Roseville Area Middle School
  • Araceli Pastrana, Eden Prairie Schools, Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion
  • Michelle Rada, Eden Prairie Schools, Eden Prairie High School
  • Marcela Roos, Eden Prairie Schools, Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion
  • Morgan Steele, Richfield Public Schools, Richfield High School
  • Andrew Sundberg, Grygla Public School
  • Averi M. Turner, Roseville Area Schools, Emmet D. Williams Elementary
  • Kong Vang, Saint Paul Public Schools, Washington Technology Magnet School
  • Linda Wallenberg, Eden Prairie Schools, Eden Prairie High School