11 educators in running for 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year
Eleven educators have been selected as finalists for the 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, organizers said Friday.
An independent selection panel of 22 leaders in the areas of education, business, government and nonprofits chose the finalists from a group of 30 semifinalists, according to Education Minnesota, which organizes the annual program.
The finalists, listed in alphabetical order, are:
- Devon Bowker, Apollo High School, St. Cloud Area School District, biology, grades 10-12
- David Davis, Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School, St. Louis Park Public School District, music, grades K-5
- Shannon Dodson, Somerset Elementary School, West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools, fourth grade
- Paige Janorschke, Lincoln Elementary School, St. Cloud Area School District, fourth grade
- Alli Kildahl, Battle Creek Middle School, Saint Paul Public Schools, social studies, grades 6-8
- Amy Phung, Meadowbrook Elementary School, Hopkins Public Schools, kindergarten
- Isaiah Pritzl, Eagan High School, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan District, English language arts ELA and AVID, grades 9 and 12
- Ricardo Rivera, Kennedy Senior High School, Bloomington Public Schools, career and technical education, engineering, manufacturing, and skilled trades, grades 6-12
- Thomas Rosengren, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 5-12 Secondary School, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City School District, sixth grade
- Sher Unruh-Friesen, Glen Lake Elementary School, Hopkins Public Schools, special education, K-6
- Maria Villavicencio, Eden Lake Elementary School, Eden Prairie Schools, third grade
Organizers say the panel will meet on May 2 to conduct interviews with each of the finalists and to cast votes.
Linda Wallenberg of Eden Prairie High School in Eden Prairie, who won the award last year, is one of five finalists for the 2026 National Teacher of the Year award. Wallenberg teaches ninth through twelfth grade and is in her 50th year of teaching.