The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has announced the 16 Regional Teachers of the Year who have been selected as semi-finalists for the 2025 Missouri Teacher of the Year award. The Teacher of the Year program spotlights the positive impact excellent teachers have on their students.

The list of semi-finalists includes teachers from multiple grade levels, subject areas, and nearly every region of the state:

• Alison Corl, Neosho School District — Math, Neosho Junior High School
• Courtney Duffy, Bayless School District — Math, Bayless Elementary
• Hester Menier, Wentzville R-IV — Art, Stone Creek Elementary
• Hope Hunter, St. James R-I — Librarian, Lucy Wortham James Elementary           
• Jennifer Jones, Lee's Summit R-VII — English Language Arts, Lee's Summit West High School
• Jennifer Justice Webber, Branson R-IV — Kindergarten, Buchanan Elementary
• Jennifer Kist, Fort Zumwalt School District — Special Education, Fort Zumwalt Early Childhood Center
• Jessica Backs, Richmond R-XVI — Third Grade, Sunrise Elementary
• Kourtney Michael, Grain Valley R-V — English Language Arts, Grain Valley High School
• Latricia Ferguson, North Callaway Co. R-I — Math, Williamsburg Elementary
• Lauren Hurst, Raytown C-2 — Spanish, Raytown High School
• Melissa Willoughby, Laclede Co. C-5 — Special Education, Joel E. Barber Elementary
• Sarah Tillinghast, Eldon R-I — Kindergarten, South Elementary
• Shannon Truitt, Spokane R-VII — Reading (Library), Highlandville Elementary
• Stacy Walker, North Andrew Co. R-VI — Science, North Andrew Elementary
• Tim Waters, Lindbergh Schools — Third Grade, Long Elementary

The Teacher of the Year selection process began with the announcement of 34 Regional Teachers of the Year who represented each of the state’s nine Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC) areas. Next, DESE will announce the finalists for the 2025 Missouri Teacher of the Year award on Thursday, August 29.

Greg Kester, a social studies teacher from Potosi R-III School District’s Potosi High School, is the 2024 Missouri Teacher of the Year.