The month of May means award season for the teachers in Michigan, this year West has three staff members who were awarded with meaningful titles to support their efforts in teaching. Biology teacher Kate Heydlauff was awarded the 2024 Northwest Education Services Outstanding Educator, and both theater teacher, Minda Nyquist and math teacher, Carl Edgren were awarded the 2024 Red Hot Best of Northern Michigan Teacher.

 “I was aware of being nominated back in February but they keep the results quiet until their June issue comes out,” Carl Edgren said. 

The nomination Process differs for each of these awards, but they typically consist of a submission earlier in the year with letters of recommendation for each nomination.

  “The award was Outstanding Educator of the Year by Northwest Ed and TBA Credit Union, and in this award, it is a five-county region, and the top ten educators each year for the entire region. I had no idea that I was nominated.

They had won the award previously, but to be nominated you have to have supporting letters from coworkers or colleagues, community members, and students, and so it takes a lot of work,” Kate Heydlauff said.

The nominations for Outstanding Educator and the Red Hot’s Best awardswere different processes, but the way the two were set up was also different, the Outstanding Award was regional-based, and the Red Hot’s Best was more local, community-based.

  “The award was Outstanding Educator of the Year by Northwest Ed and TBA Credit Union and in this award it is a five-county region and the top ten educators each year for the entire region,” Heydlauff said. 

  These awards were hard-earned and were awarded to well-deserving teachers in the school, they were all grateful to be held to their new titles. 

  “It’s fun to be voted by hopefully some students and community members and really have no idea that people are even thinking of you in this way. It is a nice nod at the end of the year!” Nyquist said.