FARMINGTON, ME (May 16, 2024)—The University of Maine at Farmington is proud to announce that four of the 16 recently named 2024 Maine County Teachers of the Year are UMF Teacher Education graduates.
The Maine County Teachers of the Year are selected from nominations for Maine Teacher of the Year from each county. This year, more than 600 Maine teachers were nominated by a member of their school committee. After review, the County Teachers of the Year are announced, one of which will make it all the way to be named Maine Teacher of the Year the following year.
“We applaud these outstanding UMF graduates for their dedication to their students and to the teaching profession. The teacher education programs at Farmington consistently punch above their weight in producing great teachers. UMF not only prepared these graduates as new teachers but continues to further their education with master’s degree and graduate certificate programs to meet their future career goals and enhance their professional credentials,” said Joseph McDonnell, UMF president.
This year’s County Teachers of the Year who are UMF Teacher Education graduates include:
Androscoggin: Leah Boucher
UMF Class of 2018, Elementary Education
4th Grade Teacher, Farwell Elementary School, Lewiston School Department
Leah Boucher
Kennebec: Kristel Anuszewski
UMF Class of 1994, Secondary and Middle Education
Library, Learning Commons, and Technology Teacher, Windsor Elementary School, RSU 12
Kristel Anuszewski
Lincoln: Becky Hallowell
UMF Class of 1994, Early Childhood Education
4th Grade Teacher, Wiscasset Elementary School, Wiscasset School Department
Becky Hallowell
Waldo: Shilo Burnham
UMF Class of 2000, Elementary Education
Kindergarten Teacher, East Belfast School, RSU 71
Shilo Burnham
“The University of Maine at Farmington offers a great education to all Maine teachers,” said Becky Hallowell, UMF alumna and 2024 Maine County Teacher of the Year. “It continues to be my favorite place to learn, from earning my Early Childhood Education degree in the 90s to my current work on a Nature-Based Education certificate.”
“Now, as the 2024 Lincoln County Teacher of the Year, I will be striving to elevate and advocate for the teaching profession. Working with all the County Teachers Together we will strive to lift up all Maine’s teachers and look forward to working with UMF to achieve that goal,” said Hallowell.
According to a press release by the Maine Dept. of Education, these outstanding Maine County Teachers of the Year were recognized by Gov. Janet Mills, ME Dept. of Ed. Commissioner Pander Makin, Educate Maine Executive Director Jason Judd, State Board of Education Chair Fern Desjardins, 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard, and Maine County and State Teachers of the Year Association Co-President Hillary Bellefleur at a ceremony in the Hall of Flags at the Maine State Capitol during Teacher Appreciation Week.
Throughout the summer, the teachers will continue to participate in an intensive Maine State Teacher of the Year selection process and Maine’s Teacher of the Year will be announced in the fall. The Maine Teacher of the Year is a program of the Maine Department of Education. It is affiliated with the National Teacher of the Year program whose representative will be chosen from among the State Teachers of the Year.
The entire list of Maine County Teachers of the Year can be seen on the Maine DOE website
More on UMF Teacher Education Programs
UMF offers one of the premier teacher education programs in New England. One of just three nationally-accredited teacher education programs in Maine, it combines the highest level of coursework with hands-on field experience beginning in the first and second years at UMF followed by an immersive, 16-week Student Teaching experience. UMF prepares teachers in early childhood education, early childhood special education, elementary education, secondary/middle education, special education and multiple graduate studies and certificate programs. For more information visit UMF Teacher Education Programs.
# # #
Image: https://www.umf.maine.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1/2024/05/ANDROSCOGGIN-Leah-Boucher.jpg
Photo Caption: Leah Boucher
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Maine Dept. of Education
Image: https://www.umf.maine.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1/2024/05/KENNEBEC-Kristel-Anuszewski.jpg
Photo Caption: Kristel Anuszewski
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Maine Dept. of Education
Image: https://www.umf.maine.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1/2024/05/LINCOLN-Becky-Hallowell.jpg
Photo Caption: Becky Hallowell
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Maine Dept. of Education
Image: https://www.umf.maine.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1/2024/05/WALDO-Shilo-Burnham.jpg
Photo Caption: Shilo Burnham
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Maine Dept. of Education
