Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 22, 2021) – The 2021 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year will be revealed in a first-of-its-kind virtual ceremony on Thursday, March 4. The event will be streamed live on the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Facebook page and will include a video glimpse into each finalist's classroom.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister will announce the 2021 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year recipient in the ceremony, which begins at 10 a.m. The honored teacher will succeed 2020 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Jena Nelson and become the state’s ambassador of teaching.
 “Traditionallyour Teacher of the Year ceremony is an invitation-onlygala to recognize this noble profession. This year, we are proud to honor all teachers in an accessible format. Oklahomans across the state can now share in the celebration and cheer on these talented individuals whorepresent all of Oklahoma’s great teachers,” Hofmeister said. |
The 12 finalists for 2021 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year were announced in October. All finalists are teachers of the year for their districts and were selected after their applications were reviewed by a panel of educators, members of the business community, legislators and nonprofit partners. A separate panel selected the winner after a day of virtual interviews with the candidates.
Beginning July 1, the honoree will assume full-time Teacher of the Year duties, which include speaking engagements and encouraging others to enter or remain in the profession. Nelson, of Deer Creek Public Schools, will continue to tour the state until July.
For a preview of the ceremony, viewers can watch mini documentaries of the 2021 Teacher of the Year finalists in their classrooms at https://tinyurl.com/21OKTOY.