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Kansas Teacher of the Year Biographies

Kansas Teacher of the Year

Elizabeth Anstine

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

 Elizabeth teaches a variety of business marketing, entrepreneurship, and finance courses at Leavenworth High School and is best known for her leadership and mentorship roles. She serves as DECA advisor, where she cultivates an inclusive program that consistently produces internationally ranked students and plays a pivotal role on the ReDesign and Building Leadership Teams, where she collaboratively develops strategies geared towards enhancing student achievement.
 

Kansas Regional Teachers of the Year

Whitney Aves

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

 Whitney Aves is a dedicated family and consumer sciences teacher from Hutchinson, Kansas. Whitney has a passion for teaching valuable life skills to her students within four career pathways. Aves has made a profound impact on countless students' lives throughout her eight years of teaching at Hutchinson High School.
 
   

​Benjamin Eckelberry

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
 

 

 Benjamin Eckelberry is a first-grade teacher at Tecumseh North Elementary. Eckelberry has received a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, as well as an Early Childhood Endorsement from Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska. Above all else, Eckelberry values his connections with his students as an educator and strives to cultivate a classroom where students feel safe, loved, and capable of tackling any challenges in their way.
 
   

Ryan Mellick

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



 

 Ryan Mellick, an industrial arts teacher at Bonner Springs High School Kansas has been with the school district for the last 10 years. Mellick has been teaching ever since he graduated from Central Missouri State University in 2007 with his Bachelor of Science in Technology Education. Ryan has taught a variety of industrial art classes, space and aeronautics, architecture, automotive, theater technology and carpentry.
   

Amber Pagan 

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


 

 Amber Pagan is in her 18th year of teaching and her fifth year teaching Prekindergarten at Nieman Elementary in the Shawnee Mission School District. Amber holds endorsements in Early Childhood Education, English for Speakers or other languages, and Reading. She is passionate about early childhood education and works to ensure that caregivers have the tools they need to help their children.
   

Erik Stone

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

 Erik Stone is the Director of Bands, Vocal Music Teacher, and AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) Elective Teacher and Site Coordinator at Gordon Parks Academy in Wichita. He teaches fifth grade through eighth grade students. Since graduating with his Bachelor of Music Education with an emphasis in Special-Instrumental Music Education and a master’s degree in music education from Wichita State University, Mr. Stone has had tremendous success working with students at all ages.
   

Maegen Stucky

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

 Maegen Stucky is an empathetic and wholehearted elementary school. educator, bringing eighteen years of expertise to her classroom. She currently teaches fifth grade at Roosevelt Elementary School in McPherson, Kansas and has taught third through fifth grades throughout her teaching career. Stucky has taught in a variety of classroom configurations including fourth/fifth multi-age, looping, and straight grade level classrooms.
   

Olivia Winegeart

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


 

 Olivia Winegeart is a second-grade teacher who is deeply committed to public education as a means to dismantle systemic barriers and bring equitable opportunity to all students. She builds community through restorative relationships and is deeply passionate about evidence-based teaching practices. Winegeart is a ten-year teacher veteran. She received her Bachelor of Science in Education at Oklahoma Christian University and began her career as a first-grade teacher in her hometown of Edmond.

Kansas Teacher of the Year logo 

Links

For more information about the Kansas Teacher of the Year program, please contact:

Tamla Miller
(785) 296-4950
tmiller@ksde.org


Communications and Recognition Programs Team Director

Denise Kahler
(785) 296-4876
​dkahler@ksde.org

 

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