Meet the 2022 Teachers of the Year Award Winners
The educators honored in the ninth annual awards are making a difference in classrooms across Central Ohio.
Teaching has never been an easy job, but it has always been an influential one. Perhaps you remember an educator who had an impact on your own life, or you know one who went the extra mile to help your child through a rough spot.
Columbus Parent and ThisWeek Community News are proud to partner again this year to recognize some of Central Ohio’s top classroom talent.
The 2022 Teachers of the Year awards, presented for the ninth year, honors outstanding educators at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
This year, we received a record 237 nominations from school districts across the Columbus region. Educators were nominated by their colleagues, administrators, parents, students and family members. Nominations were taken online from Dec. 22 to Jan. 24. Our editorial staffs read all the nominations, did some independent research and chose a group of finalists. Readers voted Feb. 18 to March 18 to determine the winners.
Two of the schools invited us to surprise their teachers and present the awards in person. All three winners received a framed certificate, a banner and a Cameron Mitchell Restaurants gift card.
Congratulations to our 2022 honorees:
Heather Slisher, elementary school winner
Nick Brown, middle school winner
Justin Higby, high school winner
Our 2022 Finalists
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Angela Forino, Herbert Mills STEAM Elementary School, Reynoldsburg City School District
Katie McGinnis, Scioto Darby Elementary School, Hilliard City School District
Patricia Russell, New Albany Primary School, New Albany-Plain Local School District
Heather Slisher, Taylor Road Elementary School, Reynoldsburg City School District
Kim Styers, Indian Springs Elementary School, Columbus City Schools
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Nick Brown, Davis Middle School, Dublin City School District
Anna Hoffman, Olentangy Liberty Middle School, Olentangy Local School District
Brianna Lawless, Waggoner Road Junior High School, Reynoldsburg City School District
Elliott Lemberg, New Albany Middle School, New Albany-Plain Local School District
HIGH SCHOOL
Tami Golliday, Bexley High School, Bexley City School District
Rick Hauser, Gahanna Lincoln High School, Gahanna-Jefferson Public School District
Justin Higby, Columbus Alternative High School, Columbus City Schools
Austin Owens, Independence High School, Columbus City Schools
Derek Scoles, Thomas Worthington High School, Worthington City School District
Teachers of the Year Past Winners
2021
Kevin Sheets, fifth grade, High Point Elementary School (Gahanna-Jefferson Public School District)
Me-Chelle Burkhalter, seventh-grade science, The Wellington School
Dominic Marchi, math, Bishop Watterson High School
2020
Mindy Martin, fourth grade, Taylor Road Elementary School (Reynoldsburg City School District)
Julie Biswas, science, Columbus School for Girls
Jim Coley, U.S. Government, Reynoldsburg High School – eSTEM Academy (Reynoldsburg City School District)
2019
Jim Ledford, first grade, Alcott Elementary School (Westerville City School District)
Eric “Scott” Delligatti, sixth- and eighth-grade science, Genoa Middle School (Westerville City School District)
Caitlin “Cait” Maloy, science, Westerville North High School (Westerville City School District)
2018
Rita Crego, first grade, Taylor Road Elementary School (Reynoldsburg City School District)
Rob Niedermeyer, seventh-grade science, STEM Middle at Baldwin Road Junior High School (Reynoldsburg City School District)
Michael Kunselman, engineering teacher and FabLab adviser, Gahanna Lincoln High School (Gahanna-Jefferson Public School District)
2017
Amy Anderson, third grade, Buckeye Woods Elementary School (South-Western City School District)
Mary Potter, fifth-grade language arts, The Wellington School
Kristy Halleck, math, Central Crossing High School (South-Western City School District)
2016
Buffy Burroughs, first grade, Avondale Elementary School (Columbus City Schools)
Julie Mizer, eighth-grade math, Hilliard Memorial Middle School (Hilliard City School District)
Marcella Cua, visual arts, Briggs High School (Columbus City Schools)
2015
Krista Hyme, kindergarten, Johnnycake Corners Elementary School (Olentangy Local School District)
Lisa Picou, fifth-grade math, Buckeye Valley Middle School (Buckeye Valley Local School District)
Cynthia Macioce, drama, Gahanna Lincoln High School (Gahanna-Jefferson Public School District)
2013
Judges’ Choice Winners
Sequoia Temple, kindergarten, Maize Elementary School (Columbus City Schools)
Pamela Reed, sixth-grade English and language arts, Buckeye Middle School (Columbus City Schools)
Susan Burnett, grades 9-12 intervention specialist, Cruiser Academy (Groveport Madison School District)
People’s Choice Winner
Abby Farris, second grade, Glacier Ridge Elementary School (Dublin City School District)