FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jan. 7, 2026

TOPEKA — The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has announced the 32 recipients of the 2026 Kansas Horizon Award, a program recognizing the outstanding teaching skills of new educators.

The educators chosen for this prestigious award will be honored at a special ceremony during the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network (KEEN) State Education Conference on Feb. 20, in Topeka.

The Kansas Horizon Award program, sponsored by KSDE, allows all school districts in the state to nominate one elementary and one secondary teacher for the award. To be eligible, teachers must have successfully completed their first year of teaching and have performed in such a way as to distinguish themselves as outstanding.

Four elementary and four secondary classroom teachers may be selected for the award from each of the state’s four regions that correspond to the state’s U.S. congressional districts.

The following recipients of the 2026 Kansas Horizon Award were notified of their selection by Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson:

Region 1

Mayci Armstrong, Rock Creek High School, Rock Creek USD 323

Alyssa Higbie, Manhattan High School, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383

Audrey Phelps, Ross Elementary School, Dodge City USD 443

Kate Steimel, Ellsworth Elementary School, Ellsworth USD 327

Phoebe Stottlemire, Valley Falls High School, Valley Falls USD 338

Tristyn Tow, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383

Claudia Trout, Bennington Grade School, Twin Valley USD 240

Allison Wickstrum, Blue Valley-Randolph High School, Blue Valley-Randolph USD 384

Region 2

Alyssa Beilfuss, Linwood Elementary School, Basehor-Linwood USD 458

Zaveah Kobza, David Brewer Elementary School, Leavenworth USD 453

Alyssa McCue, Walnut Elementary School, Emporia USD 253

Eva Noble, Piper Creek Elementary School, Piper USD 203

Kaysi Overdick, Tonganoxie High School, Tonganoxie USD 464

Shayla Rahe, Marion High School, Marion-Florence USD 408

Elizabeth Sturgis, Girard High School, Girard USD 248

Ashley Swanson, Carbondale Attendance Center, Santa Fe Trail USD 434

Region 3

Asia Beck, Trojan Elementary School, Osawatomie USD 367

Gregory Bergman, Olathe Advanced Technical Center, Olathe USD 233

Jordan Dombrowski, Shawnee Mission East High School, Shawnee Mission USD 512

Cordelia Hanger, Dayton Creek Elementary School, Spring Hill USD 230

Marissa Horstick, Central Heights Middle School, Central Heights USD 288

Brittney Jundt, Riverview Elementary School, De Soto USD 232

Meadow Richardson, Sunflower Elementary School, Paola USD 368

Katlyn Whittley, Wheatridge Middle School, Gardner Edgerton USD 231

Region 4

Laura Araiza, Wichita North High School, Wichita USD 259

Davon Brees, Complete High School Maize, Maize USD 266

Whitney Brummer, St. John-Hudson Elementary School, St. John-Hudson USD 350

Nolan Crumrine, Valley Center High School, Valley Center USD 262

Abbie Griffith, Goddard High School, Goddard USD 265

Lauren Mullen, R.L. Wright Elementary School, Sedgwick USD 439

Sally Pipes, Irving Elementary School, Winfield USD 465

Ashley Shuck, Lincoln Elementary School, Wellington USD 353

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Contact: Denise Kahler, director of KSDE communications and recognitions programs, denise.kahler@ksde.gov, or (785) 296-4876.