New Minnesota Teacher of the Year to be announced this Sunday, May 7

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

Chris Williams
651-292-4816 (work)
651-247-5539 (cell)

ST. PAUL, Minn., May 2, 2017 – The new Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be named Sunday, May 7. The Radisson Blu Mall of America hosts this year’s Teacher of the Year banquet. Abdul Wright from Best Academy in Minneapolis, the current Minnesota Teacher of the Year, will announce his successor at the banquet. This is the 53rd year for the program. Minnesota has produced four National Teachers of the Year, more than any state except California.

The banquet takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Radisson Blu’s Lakes ballrooms. The surprise announcement of the new Teacher of the Year should take place between 2:30 and 3 p.m. Reporters are advised to arrive by 2 p.m. The new Teacher of the Year will be available for interviews on-site immediately following the banquet May 7 and during the day May 8. The Radisson Blu Mall of America is located at 2100 Killebrew Dr., Bloomington, Minnesota 55425. Media is required to enter through the hotel security loading dock and check in with the security office. Parking spots will be blocked off. See attached directions.

Banquet tickets may still be available by contacting Megan McKeen at 651-292-4872.

The 2017 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will come from a field of 11 finalists. There were 132 candidates in this year’s original field. This year’s finalists are:

Ali Alowonle, Excelsior Elementary, Minnetonka, elementary, grades 4-5
Corey Bulman, Mound Westonka High School, Westonka, English, grades 9, 11-12
Greta Callahan, Bethune Community School, Minneapolis, kindergarten
Adrian Davis, Roosevelt High School, Minneapolis, music, grades 9-12
Michael Houston, Harding High School, St. Paul, math, grades 9-12
Scott Noet, Owatonna Junior High, Owatonna, social studies, grade 7
Charity Przepiora, Roseville Area High School, Roseville, language arts, grades 10-12
Teresa Stadem, Richfield College Experience Program, Richfield, language arts, grades 9-12
Sarah Swan McDonald, Northfield High School, Northfield, social studies, grades 9-12
Ong Xiong, Phalen Lake Hmong Studies Magnet, St. Paul, kindergarten
Mary Zilge, Cherry View Elementary, Lakeville, vocal music, grades kindergarten-5

Education Minnesota, the 86,000-member statewide educators union, organizes and underwrites the Teacher of the Year program. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers from public or private schools. The Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program also receives support from the following organizations: The Radisson Blu Mall of America, the Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, United Educators Credit Union, McDonald’s Restaurants of Minnesota, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors and Education Minnesota ESI.