Last night, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County hosted the annual orientation for the 2025 Teacher of the Year, generously sponsored by Sunset Automotive. Over 40 district teachers gathered at LaunchPad4U, where they were welcomed by past Teachers of the Year and Education Foundation team members for a fun and informative introduction to what they can expect as they begin their Teacher of the Year journey.
Led by Kari Johnson, 2021 Teacher of the Year, past Teachers of the Year shared their experiences with the incoming “class”, including Ronnique Major: 2024, Tim Ferguson: 2023, Jennifer Jaso: 2022. Following the introduction, candidates had their headshots taken, received custom-designed lapel pins, and enjoyed an evening of refreshments while they mingled and got to know each other.
“The energy in the room was so positive,” said Nicole Light, Education Foundation Director of Educator Programs. “It was exciting to see teachers staying after the presentation to enjoy conversations with one another. There were connections made, a lot of laughter, and it was just a great vibe.”
For years the Education Foundation has been collaborating with Sarasota County Schools to honor teachers. Each elementary, middle, and high school in the district selects its own Teacher of the Year, who then convenes with us to learn the next steps to move on to the district selections. They learned how and what materials to submit to become the Teacher of the Year representative for their school category.
Next, each candidate will be reviewed by a committee consisting of past Teachers of the Year, an Education Foundation staff member, and a board member. In November, each school category Teacher of the Year will be notified, though they won’t know when or how – each year is a surprise. This all leads up to the Ignite Education Teacher of the Year Award celebration in December, where the district winner will be announced.
We celebrate all teachers, who we know devote far more than their time and energy to their students and whose work reaches beyond curriculum. And we are thrilled to recognize this special handful each year who truly stand out in their commitment to excellence in teaching. We have heard it said that, while the recognition is nice, the true takeaway from this event are the connections and relationships that are built with like-minded, passionate peers, where they discover a re-invigoration in their practice through this camaraderie. As Kari Johnson paraphrased yesterday, “You are here on purpose for a purpose.” We couldn’t agree more. Stay tuned to our social media platforms and website as more unfolds.