5 local teachers up for Missouri Teacher of the Year honor

Back-to-school means back to work for nearly 66,000 teachers across Missouri. Among the thousands, five local teachers are in the running for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Teacher of the Year award.

16 teachers state-wide are nominated for the honor. The list includes teachers from multiple grade levels, subject areas and nearly every region of the state. Five have made the list from the Ozarks.

• Alison Corl – Math – Neosho Junior High School
• Jennifer Justice Webber – Kindergarten – Buchanan Elementary, Branson
• Melissa Willoughby – Special Education – Joel E. Barber, Laclede Co.
• Sarah Tillinghast – Kindergarten – South Elementary, Eldon
• Shannon Truitt – Reading/Library – Highlandville Elementary, Spokane

Overall, 16 semifinalists are still in the running to be named the 2025 Missouri Teacher of the Year. The semi-finalists have been narrowed down from a pool of 34 Regional Teachers of the Year. Next, DESE will announce the finalists on Thursday, August 29, 2024.

The 2024 Missouri Teacher of the Year is Greg Kester, a social studies teacher from Potosi High School. The program hopes to spotlight the positive impact excellent teachers have on their students.

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