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Kansas Teacher of the Year Veteran Team | 2026 KTOY Team
Elizabeth Anstine Grades 9-12 Business Leavenworth USD 453 Leavenworth Sr. High School 2012 10th Ave. Leavenworth, KS 66048 Phone: (913) 684-1550 Email: liz.anstine@lvpioneers.org
Biography
Whitney Aves Grades 9-12 Family and Consumer Sciences Hutchinson USD 308 Hutchinson High School 810 E. 13th Hutchinson, KS 67501 Phone: (620) 615-4100 Email: aves.whitney@usd308.com
Benjamin Eckelberry Grade 1 Shawnee Heights USD 450 Tecumseh North Elementary School 314 SE Stanton Road Tecumseh, KS 66542 Phone: (785) 379-5910 Email: eckelberryb@usd450.net
Ryan Mellick 9-12 Industrial Technology Bonner Springs-Edwardsville USD 204 Bonner Springs High School 100 McDanield Bonner Springs, KS 66012 Phone: (913) 422-5121 Email: mellickr@usd204.net
Amber Pagan Pre-K Shawnee Mission USD 512 Nieman Elementary School 10917 W. 67th St. Shawnee, KS 66203 Phone: (913) 993-4000 Email: amberpagan@smsd.org
Erik Stone Grades 5-8 Band, Vocal Music Wichita USD 259 Gordon Parks Academy 2201 E. 25th St. Wichita, KS 67219 Phone: (316) 973-7500 Email: estone@usd259.net
Maegen Stucky Grade 5 McPherson USD 418 Roosevelt Elementary School 800 S. Walnut McPherson, KS 67460 Phone: (620) 241-9550 Email: maegen.stucky@mcpherson.com
Olivia Winegeart Grade 2 Derby USD 260 Paul B Cooper Elementary School 4625 Juniper Wichita, KS 67216 Phone: (316) 554-0934 Email: owinegeart@usd260.com
2026 Kansas Teacher of the Year will be announced September 20, 2025.
Tracie Betz Preschool Quinter USD 293 Quinter Elementary School P.O. Box 540 Quinter, KS 67752 Phone: (785) 754-3741 Email: tbetz@nkesc.org
Rachel Marlow Grades K-5 Olathe USD 233 Central Elementary School 305 E. Cedar St. Olathe, KS 66061 Phone: (913) 780-7370 Email: ramarlow@olatheschools.org
Jason Peters Grades 9-12 Math Hesston USD 460 Hesston High School 200 N. Ridge Rd. Hesston, KS 67062 Phone: (620) 327-7122 Email: jason.peters@usd460.org
Susan Rogers Grade 1 Derby USD 260 Derby Hills Elementary School 2230 N. Woodlawn Derby, KS 67037 Phone: (316) 788-8540 Email: srogers2@usd260.com
Lauren Sage Grades 9-12 Biology and Environmental Science Kansas City USD 500 F. L. Schlagle High School 2214 N. 59th St. Kansas City, KS 66104 Phone: (913) 627-7500 Email: lauren.sage@kckps.org
Julie Smith Grades 9-12 Business and Digital Media Santa Fe Trail USD 434 Santa Fe Trail High School 15701 S. California Ave. Carbondale, KS 66414 Phone: (800) 836-9525 Email: jsmith@usd434.us
Troy St. Clair Pre-K-5 Physical Education Topeka USD 501 Scott Dual Language Magnet 401 SE Market St. Topeka, KS 66607 Phone: (785) 235-7480 Email: tstclair@tps501.org
Tranda Strnad Grades 7-12 Art Republic County USD 109 Republic County High School 24th and P Street Belleville, KS 66935 Phone: (785) 527-2281 Email: tstrnad@usd109.org
2025 KTOY Team | 2026 KTOY Team | Veteran KTOY Teams
For more information about the Kansas Teacher of the Year program, please contact:
Tamla Miller (785) 296-4950
The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. (more information...)
To accommodate people with disabilities, on request, auxiliary aides and services will be provided and reasonable modifications to policies and programs will be made. To request accommodations or for more information please contact the Office of General Counsel at gc@ksde.gov or by 785-296-3201.