15 Arts Teachers Named Candidates for 2023 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

February 2, 2023

Perpich Center for Arts Education is excited to celebrate the 15 music, theater, and visual arts teachers who are among the candidates for 2023 Minnesota Teacher of the Year! We recognize and honor their work as representative of Minnesota’s thousands of excellent arts educators in dance, media arts, music, theater, and visual arts. Bravo!

• Anthony Boldt, music teacher – Kasson-Mantorville School District
• Melissa Bray, music teacher – Westonka Public Schools
• Laura Grant, art teacher – Hopkins Public Schools
• Angela LaJoy, music teacher – Westonka Public Schools
• Holly Lathe, music teacher – Sartell-St. Stephen School District 748
• Bee Lee, art teacher – Roseville Area Public Schools
• Josh Mann, theater director – St. Michael-Albertville School District
• Nichole Markworth, music teacher – Lac Qui Parle Valley School District
• Ryan Pedersen, art teacher – Bloomington Public Schools
• Fathimath Eliza Rasheed, theater teacher – Saint Paul Public Schools
• Brian Selander, music teacher – Frazee-Vergas Public Schools
• Scyler Shearer, music teacher – Bloomington Public Schools
• Carrie Uwadiae, music teacher – Roseville Area Public Schools
• Reid Wixson, music teacher – Minneapolis Public Schools
• Jeff Zupfer, music teacher – Bloomington Public Schools

“I am very happy to see that 15 of the candidates for 2023 Minnesota Teacher of the Year are Arts educators!” said Dr. Wendy Barden, Director of Professional Development and Resources. “To me, their nominations recognize the significant contributions and connections Arts educators—and the Arts—make in the lives of thousands of young people every year.”

The Minnesota Teacher of the Year program, now in its 59th year, is the oldest and most prestigious recognition program in Minnesota to honor excellence in education. Eligible candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade, Early Childhood Family Education, and Adult Basic Education teachers, from public or non-public schools.

The program chooses one teacher to represent Minnesota’s thousands of excellent educators. An independent panel of leaders in the fields of education, business, government, nonprofit, and philanthropy will read candidates’ portfolios over the next few weeks and narrow the list to a group of semifinalists. In March, the panel will convene again and review additional materials from the semifinalists to choose a group of finalists. The Minnesota Teacher of the Year banquet is set for May 7 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Organized and underwritten by Education Minnesota, the Minnesota Teacher of the Year program receives support from Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, SMART Technologies, and Expedition Credit Union.