The title of  Teacher of the Year is given to the teacher who displays the most leadership amongst not only their students, but also their peers, and their ability to create an environment within their classroom that inspires students to want to learn each day. In the 2025 – 26 school year, Teacher of the Year was awarded  to Algebra 1 teacher, Mrs. Erickson. 

Erickson understands that algebra may not be every student’s favorite subject. Nevertheless, she manages to make the class as enjoyable for students as possible. The way in which Erickson finds strategies to level with her students stems from her most influential teachers when she attended high school. 

“When I was 16, I had a wonderful teacher named Ms. Stacy.  She made history fun even though I didn’t like it,” Erickson said. “I decided that I wanted to help students enjoy math– even if the subject didn’t interest them.”

Erickson has implemented her own unique classroom routines in order to better engage with her students before beginning any conversation regarding math.

“After I take attendance, I tell the students a story. These are stories from my life that have nothing to do with math. They are about everything from my own children to when I worked as a teacher in a drug rehab school. I have a list of 142 stories, most of which I tell every year.” Erickson said. “This is everyone’s favorite part of the day.”

Teaching is one of the most difficult, time-consuming, and complex jobs that seems to fly under the radar in today’s world. Teachers work tirelessly every day to provide students with not only an educational experience, but also a safe and healthy environment. Oftentimes, students don’t take time to appreciate the hard work that goes into even the simplest lessons each day. 

“Teachers are constantly exhausting themselves for their students,” Erickson said. 

However, the rigor of the education system shouldn’t intimidate any young people who are considering taking on the job. For many, the reward of building relationships and becoming a positive role model in a student’s life outweighs the competitiveness within the field. Erickson’s advice to future educators is simple but earnest.

“Set good boundaries,” Erickson said.