For more information, contact:
Chris Williams
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Doug Dooher
651-292-4820 (work)
651-245-6141 (cell)

ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 25, 2016 -- Mary Beth Blegen, 1995 Minnesota Teacher of the Year and 1996 National Teacher of the Year, passed away Jan. 25. She was 72. The following statement can be attributed to Education Minnesota President Denise Specht:
 
“There is no way to count the number of students and educators who were influenced, pushed, mentored, cajoled, inspired and moved to be better by Mary Beth Blegen. In her 50 years in education, from her classroom in Worthington to the national stage, Mary Beth never wavered in her belief that every individual student and every individual educator had a valuable story to tell and a gift to share with the world.
 
“It was impossible to have a conversation with her and not leave with a sense of inspiration that you could do, could be, more. She never retired from mentoring her colleagues because, as she would often say, ‘There’s so much more to do.’ As an educator, mentor, leader and friend, she was one of a kind.”
 
The following statement can be attributed to the co-chairs of the Minnesota Teacher of the Year program, Gwen Rudney of the University of Minnesota-Morris, and Heather Campbell of St. Olaf College.
 
“Mary Beth Blegen was known for many inspirational sayings, but two of the more memorable were, ‘What would you do if you weren’t afraid? Well, then, why not try it?’ and ‘Do not – ever – lose your sense of joy.’ Generations of students and educators were influenced by her wisdom, compassion and talent to remind us about the joy we must find in our roles as teachers and learners.
 
“As the Minnesota and National Teacher of the Year, Mary Beth set the standard for what those awards should mean – to speak up, to shout out, to share our love for education and students, and to inspire others to continue this important work with joy and passion. Her influence is endless, and her impact on teaching and learning in Minnesota and the nation will never be forgotten.”

About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.

About the Minnesota Teacher of the Year program
Organized and underwritten by Education Minnesota, the Minnesota Teacher of the Year program receives support from Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, McDonald’s Restaurants of Minnesota, Radisson Blu Mall of America, SMART Technologies, TruStone Financial and United Educators Credit Union.