The 20 nominees for Delaware’s 2024 Teacher of the Year have been announced.
All 20 will be honored at a celebration 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18 at Modern Maturity Center in Dover.
The winner of the title will be announced that night.
Every nominee will pocket $2,000, and the winner will get $5,000 to use in the classroom and $3,000 for personal use.
The candidates were nominated by their districts or the Delaware Charter Schools Network during 2023 based on their superior ability to inspire students with a love of learning, exemplary demonstration of professional traits and strong sense of dedication and devotion to teaching.
Each state nominee submitted an application exemplifying his or her teaching philosophy, and five Delaware Department of Education staff members independently evaluated each application.
A former Delaware Teacher of the Year and department staff member observe each candidate in the classroom as part of the process.
Taking into consideration the ratings from the application review and observations as well as a recorded presentation by the nominees, another independent panel of non-department judges then will select the winner.
That person will become the First State’s nominee in the national program, a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers.
2024’s teacher of the year nominees are:
Appoquinimink: Cory Hafer, Middletown High (engineering and science)
Brandywine: Nader N. Makarious, Brandywine High (chemistry)
Caesar Rodney: Melissa Rapp, Caesar Rodney High (social studies)
Cape Henlopen: Rachel Peacock, Cape Henlopen High (chemistry)
Capital: Alexandra Griffith, William Henry Middle (English language arts and social studies)
Charter Network: Stephanie Trainer, Charter School of Wilmington (social studies)
Christina: Emily Szymanski, the Brennen School (early intervention)
Colonial: Michelle Reutter, John G. Leach School (special education)
Delmar: Lauren Webster, Delmar Middle (science)
Indian River: Kasey Revel, Sussex Central High (agriscience)
Lake Forest: Stephen West, Chipman Middle (social studies)
Laurel: Matthew Wood, Laurel High (agriscience)
Milford: Victoria Hudson, Benjamin Banneker Elementary (art)
New Castle County Vo-Tech: Tim Dorsey, Delcastle Technical High (science)
Polytech: Shannon Legg, Polytech High (automotive technology)
Red Clay Consolidated: Angela Morrow, Richey Elementary (fifth grade)
Seaford:Karent Díaz Ríos, Seaford Central Elementary (Spanish immersion)
Smyrna: Laura Massey, Clayton Elementary (reading intervention)
Sussex Tech: Anthony Varrato, Sussex Technical High (English language arts)
Woodbridge: Stephanie Sharp, Woodbridge Early Childhood Education Center (multilingual learners)
Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
