Two teachers named Region 2 finalists for 2026 Kansas Teacher of the Year

Denise Kahler, director, Communications and Recognition Programs - (785) 296-4876

For immediate release

April 6, 2025

Two teachers named Region 2 finalists

for 2026 Kansas Teacher of the Year

Announcement made during Sunday ceremony in Topeka

TOPEKA - Troy St. Clair, Pre-K-5 physical education teacher at Scott Dual Language Magnet School, Topeka USD 501, and Julie Smith, business and digital media teacher at Santa Fe Trail High School, Santa Fe Trail USD 434, were named Region 2 finalists for the 2026 Kansas Teacher of the Year (KTOY) award during a ceremony on Sunday, April 6.

This award recognizes excellent teaching in the elementary and secondary classrooms of the state. The KTOY Region 2 awards banquet took place at the Hotel Topeka at City Center, in Topeka.

As finalists for the Kansas Teacher of the Year distinction, St. Clair and Smith each will receive a $2,000 cash award from Security Benefit, the major corporate partner for the KTOY program. In addition, they are each now eligible to be named Kansas Teacher of the Year, which will be announced during a ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 20, in Wichita.

St. Clair and Smith were among six KTOY semifinalists from Region 2, which covers Kansas's 2nd U.S. congressional district.

The other Region 2 KTOY semifinalists were Ashley Funk, fourth grade special education teacher at Atchison Elementary School, Atchison USD 409; Kate Talley, K-6 science and engineering teacher at Elmont Elementary School, Seaman USD 345; Tracy Murray, social studies teacher at Lawrence High School, Lawrence USD 497; and Rene Stanley, English teacher at Independence High School, Independence USD 446.

Each of the semifinalists will receive a red marble apple with a wooden base, compliments of The Master Teacher in Manhattan.

This year, 136 educators across the state were nominated for the Kansas Teacher of the Year distinction.

Nominations are made in each of the four regions in the state. The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), sponsor of the KTOY program, appoints regional selection panels comprised of teachers, education administrators and business representatives to select semifinalists and finalists from each region.

Each panel selects six semifinalists - three elementary teachers and three secondary teachers. From those semifinalists, the panel in each region then selects one elementary finalist and one secondary finalist. The Kansas Teacher of the Year is selected from among the state's eight regional finalists.

The mission of the Kansas Teacher of the Year program is to build and utilize a network of exemplary teachers who are leaders in the improvement of schools, student performance and the teaching profession.

Members of the Kansas Teacher of the Year team, comprised of the Teacher of the Year and regional finalists, serve as ambassadors for education in Kansas, making public appearances across the state to promote education and the teaching profession.

The individual selected as the Kansas Teacher of the Year is eligible for selection as National Teacher of the Year.

The National Teacher of the Year program is a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers in partnership with the Voya Foundation.

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