OLATHE, KAN. – Each year the Kansas State Department of Education chooses seven regional teachers of the year and one Kansas teacher of the year. MidAmerica Nazarene University hosted the eight teachers honored with these distinctions in 2013 at a panel discussion for its teacher education majors Tues., April 30. The teachers travel the state presenting to future teachers to inspire and motivate those preparing to be educators.
Three of the eight are alumni of MNU having graduated from the Master of Education program: Ramie Allison, regional teacher of the year from Haysville, Kan.; Laura Moyers, regional teacher of the year from Leavenworth, Kan.; and Dyane Smokorowski, Kansas teacher of the year from Andover, Kan., who recently returned from Washington, D.C., where she and the winners from other states met President Obama.
The teachers presented on the theme EMBRACE using the acronym to suggest that great teachers engage students, motivate them, build relationships, reflect and change, access the network (of technology), create an atmosphere of fun, and educate.
Regional Teacher of the Year Laura Moyers from Leavenworth USD 453 engaged the crowd with “Granny” as she discussed creativity in the classroom.
About 35 juniors and senior education majors attended the presentation.
Photo: Kansas Teachers of the Year: Ramie Allison, Sue Commons, Colleen Mitchell, Sarah Berlinger, Scott Keltner, Judy Domke, Laura Moyers and Dyane Smokorowski.
Listing of 2013 Teachers of the Year
Kansas Teacher of the Year
*Dyane Smokorowski, Andover Kan., Andover USD 385
Regional Teachers of the Year
*Ramie Allison, Haysville, Kan., Haysville USD 261
Sarah Berblinger, Hutchinson, Kan., Buhler USD 313
Sue Commons, Baxter Springs, Kan., Baxter Springs USD 508
Judy Domke, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley USD 229
Scott Keltner, Eudora, Kan., Eudora USD 491
Colleen Mitchell, Emporia, Kan., Emporia USD 253
*Laura Moyers, Leavenworth, Kan., Leavenworth USD 453
* Denotes MNU Alumnus
ABOUT MNU
MidAmerica Nazarene University, founded in 1966, is a private, Christian, liberal arts university offering 40 undergraduate majors and three adult degree completion programs, as well as five professional graduate degrees in business, education, nursing, and counseling, and postgraduate certificates. Online offerings include classes in education, nursing and management. Study abroad as well as service-learning experiences are encouraged through MNU’s Go Global, MNU Europe, and ServiceCorps programs. The campus is located on 105 acres in Olathe, Kan., and operates a location in Liberty, Mo., for adult and graduate programs. More information may be found at www.mnu.edu.
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