Eleven Arts Educators are Among the Candidates for 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

February 2, 2026

Perpich Center for Arts Education is excited to celebrate the 11 dance, music, and visual arts educators who are among the candidates for 2026 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!

• Lauren Wondra, band and music teacher – Elk River School District
• Kayla Gale, visual arts teacher – Hopkins Public Schools
• Kate Sorenson, music teacher – Hopkins Public Schools
• Ben Young, band and music teacher – Kaleidoscope Charter School
• Sophia Butler, band and orchestra teacher – Minneapolis Public Schools
• Jonathan Edinton, choir and modern band teacher – Minneapolis Public Schools
• Kara Noble, dance teacher – Minneapolis Public Schools
• Jamie Steffl, visual arts teacher – Redwood Area School District
• Markus Hahn, band teacher – Robbinsdale Area Public Schools
• Tricia Schmidt, visual arts teacher – South Washington County Schools
• David Davis, music teacher – St. Louis Park Public School District

“I am very happy to see that 11 of the candidates for 2026 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 62nd 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 3 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

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