The finalists for the 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year have been announced, narrowing down to 12 remarkable teachers from an initial pool of 142 candidates. The finalists were selected by a panel of 21 industry leaders across education, business, government, and nonprofit sectors from an intermediary list of 31 semifinalists.
The next phase involves individual interviews with the twelve candidates on May 3, after which the panel will vote to decide the recipient of the honor. The winner will be declared by Tracy Byrd, the 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year from Washburn High School, Minneapolis. The announcement will take place at a banquet scheduled for May 4 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, with tickets available for purchase online.
The Teacher of the Year program, organized by Education Minnesota, encompasses educators from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, as well as Adult Basic Education teachers, from both public and private schools. The initiative receives additional support from several organizations, including Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, Expedition Credit Union, Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, and SMART Technologies.
The finalists, in alphabetical order, are:
– Stacy Bartlett, Stillwater Area High School, teaching biology for grades 10-12.
– Katelyn Bruce, Lake Harriet Lower Campus, instructing second grade.
– Ben Cuevas-Rengstorf, Roosevelt High School, specializing in culinary arts for grades 9-12.
– Christoph Dundas, Austin High School, teaching band for grades 9-12.
– John Horton, J.J. Hill Montessori School, teaching grades 1-3.
– Amanda Jagdeo, Hamline Elementary School, teaching pre-K.
– Zoe Kourajian, Edgewood Middle School, covering U.S. history and girls’ leadership for grades 7-8.
– Soren Olesen, Roseau High School, teaching welding, machine shop, and work-based learning for grades 11-12.
– Sean Padden, Roseville Area Middle School, teaching health for grades 7-8.
– Araceli Pastrana, Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion, teaching third grade.
– Kong Vang, Washington Technology Magnet School, specializing in ethnic studies for grades 9-12.
– Linda Wallenberg, Eden Prairie High School, teaching English for grades 9 and 12.
Education Minnesota serves as a representative body for educators and related professionals within the state, affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, and AFL-CIO.
