Awards of Excellence

The Nebraska Awards of Excellence Program, which feature selection of the Nebraska Teacher of the Year, serves to recognize the contributions of the classroom teacher.

2022

Picture of Mikayla Bruner
Mikayla Bruner (Grades 7 & 8 English/Language Arts)
Westside Middle School

Omaha
Email:  mikayla@westside66.net

Picture of Abby Jones
Abby Jones (Grades 9-12 Spanish 1, 2, 3 and Pathways to Success)
Gibbon Public Schools

Gibbon
Email:  abby.jones@gibbonpublic.org

Picture of Kim Pickering
Kim Pickering (High School Business)
Lincoln High School

Lincoln
Email:  kpicker@lps.org

2019

Picture of Scott Wilson
Scott Wilson (Grades 9 -12 Honors US History, AP US History, IB History of the Americas-HL)
Omaha Central High School
Omaha

2018

Picture of Rachael Ann Burns
Rachael Ann Burns (Advance Placement Environmental Science, Horticulture, and Anatomy and Physiology teacher)
Omaha Northwest High Magnet School

Omaha
Email:  rachael.burns@ops.org

Picture of Joni Ebel
Joni Ebel (Grade 7 Pre-Algebra)
Columbus Middle School

Columbus
Email:  ebelj@discoverers.org

2010

Thomas Jaworski
Adams Central Public School

Hastings
Email: jaworski@esu9.org

Picture of Amanda Stalnaker
Amanda Stalnaker
Millard North Middle School

Millard Public Schools
Omaha
Email: astalnaker@mpsomaha.org

Picture of Wanda Stelk
Wanda Stelk (Retired)
West Lawn Elementary School

Grand Island Public Schools 
Grand Island

2009

Picture of Beth Murphy Anderson
Beth Murphy Anderson
Brownell-Talbot High School

Brownell-Talbot Schools 
Omaha

Picture of Mary Dueland
Mary Dueland
Central Elementary School

McCook Public Schools
McCook
Email: mdueland@mccookbison.org

Picture of Ricardo Várguez
Ricardo Várguez
Westside High School

Westside Community Schools
Omaha

2008

Picture of Jalene Choquette
Jalene Choquette
Hastings High School

Hastings Public Schools 
Hastings
Email: jchoquet@esu9.org

Picture of Jaye D. Crouse
Jaye D. Crouse
Elementary School at Valparaiso

Raymond Central Public Schools
Valparaiso

Picture of Mellanee Kvasnicka
Mellanee Kvasnicka
Papillion-La Vista South High School

Papillion-La Vista Public Schools
Papillion

Picture of Bob Reeker
Bob Reeker
Eastridge Elementary School 

Lincoln Public Schools
Lincoln
Email: breeker@lps.org

2007

Picture of David Barnard
David Barnard
Superior Junior/Senior High School

Superior Public Schools 
Superior
Email: db23710@navix.net

Picture of Catherine English
Catherine English
Aurora High School

Aurora Public Schools
Aurora

Picture of Natalie Jenkins
Natalie Jenkins (Retired)
Gering Junior High School

Gering Public Schools
Gering

Picture of Susan Koch
Susan Koch
Laurel-Concord Elementary School

Laurel-Concord Public Schools
Laurel
Email: skoch@esu1.org

Picture of Dianne Lee
Dianne Lee
Sherman Elementary School

Omaha Public Schools
Omaha

2006

Pam Buchholz
Carl A. Swanson Elementary School

Westside Community Schools 
Omaha
Email: pbuchholz@westside66.org

Picture of James Campbell
James Campbell
Lincoln Northeast High School

Lincoln Public Schools
Lincoln
Email: jcampbel@lps.org

Picture of Charles Foxhoven
Charles Foxhoven
Norfolk Junior High School

Norfolk Public Schools
Norfolk
Email: chuckfoxhoven@npsne.org

Picture of Karen Gottsch
Karen Gottsch (Retired)
Cambridge High School

Cambridge Public Schools
Cambridge

Picture of Amy Hottovy
Amy Hottovy
Centennial Junior/Senior High School

Centennial Public Schools
Utica 
Email: amy.hottovy@centennialpublic.org

2005

Picture of Kathryn Gifford
Kathryn Gifford (Retired)
Kearney High School

Kearney Public Schools 
Kearney

Picture of Susan Goochey
Susan Goochey
Burwell Elementary School

Burwell Public Schools
Burwell
Email: sgoochey@esu10.org

Picture of Karen Hastings
Karen Hastings (Retired)
Westridge Middle School

Grand Island Public Schools
Grand Island

2004

Picture of Joan Anna Christen
Joan Anna Christen
Beatrice High School

Beatrice
Email: jchristen@bpsnebr.org

Roger Groth (Retired)
Westside High School

Westside Community Schools
Omaha
Email: rlgroth@cox.net

Suzanne Kirby
Clinton Elementary School

Lincoln Public Schools
Lincoln

2003

Charlotte Griffith
Lost Creek Elementary School

Columbus Public Schools 
Columbus

Roger Groth (Retired)
Westside High School

Westside Community Schools
Omaha
Email: rlgroth@cox.net

Robert Jenkins
Westside Middle School

Westside Community Schools 
Omaha

Bonnie Simpson
Southern Valley Community Schools

Oxford

2002

Jean Bergholz
May Morley Elementary School

Lincoln Public Schools 
Lincoln

Honey Lou Bonar
Hastings Senior High School

Hastings Public School
Hastings

Carl Clark
Hillside Elementary School

Westside Community Schools 
Omaha

Picture of Suzanne Freet Ratzlaff
Suzanne Freet Ratzlaff (Retired)
Heartland Community Schools

Henderson/Bradshaw
Email:csratz@mainstaycomm.net

2001

Rae Brown
Pender Elementary School at Thurston

Pender

Lynna Gene Cook
Lakeview Elementary School

Lincoln

Jan Lund
Ralston High School

Ralston

Libby Putz
Anderson Middle School

Millard

2000

Carole DeBuse
Omaha Public Schools

Omaha

Shelly Hlavaty
Raymond Central Public Schools

Raymond

Steve A. McManigal
Wisner-Pilger Public Schools

Wisner

Barbara Sunderman
Hastings Public Schools

Hastings

1999

Picture of David Barnard
David Barnard
Superior

Email: db23710@navix.net

Joseph Green
Minden
Michael Pauly
Plattsmouth
Beverly Ruff
Papillion