UMaine, UMM alumni, graduate students named County Teachers of the Year
Alumni of the University of Maine and University of Maine at Machias are among the teachers being honored as 2021 Maine County Teachers of the Year.
The Maine Department of Education and Educate Maine announced the honorees in a virtual ceremony on Wednesday, May 12. Six of the 16 teachers selected have degrees from UMaine or UMM; four are current UMaine graduate students.
Aroostook County Teacher of the Year: Andrew Kirby, B.S. in secondary education from UMM; B.A. in biology from UMM; M.Ed. in instructional technology from UMaine (anticipated 2023)
School: Presque Isle High School
District: RSU 79/MSAD 1
Communities: Castle Hill, Chapman, Mapleton, Presque Isle, Westfield
Subject: Science
Grade Level: 9-12
Years Teaching: 13
Kennebec County Teacher of the Year: Raye Anne DeSoto, B.A. in English (technical writing concentration) from UMaine; elementary and secondary education certification from UMaine; gifted and talented endorsement from UMaine; Master of Arts in Teaching from UMaine (anticipated 2022)
School: Gardiner Area High School
District: RSU 11/MSAD 11
Communities: Gardiner, Pittston, Randolph, West Gardiner
Subject: Science
Grade Level: K-12
Years Teaching: 20
Penobscot County Teacher of the Year: Kelsey Stoyanova, B.S. in secondary education (English concentration) from UMaine; M.Ed. in literacy education from UMaine; M.Ed. in educational leadership from UMaine (anticipated 2023)
School: Reeds Brook Middle School
District: RSU 22
Communities: Frankfort, Hampden, Newburgh, Winterport
Subject: English Language Arts
Grade Level: 8
Years Teaching: 7
Piscataquis County Teacher of the Year: Lisa Martell, B.S. in mathematics education from UMaine
School: Piscataquis Community Secondary School
District: RSU 80/MSAD 4
Communities: Abbot, Cambridge, Guilford, Parkman, Sangerville, Wellington
Subject: Mathematics
Grade Level: 9-12
Years Teaching: 32
Waldo County Teacher of the Year: Hillary Hoyt, B.A. in elementary education from UMaine
School: Leroy H. Smith School
District: RSU 22
Communities: Frankfort, Hampden, Newburgh, Winterport
Subject: Elementary Education
Grade Level: 3
Years Teaching: 7
Washington County Teacher of the Year: Diana Mahar, B.S. in elementary education from UMM; M.Ed. in instructional technology from UMaine (anticipated 2022)
School: Sipayik Elementary School
District: Bureau of Indian Education
Communities: Pleasant Point, Perry
Subject: Elementary Education
Grade Level: 5
Years Teaching: 6
Maine County Teachers of the Year, who are selected by a panel of teachers, principals and business leaders from each county, serve as ambassadors for teachers, students and education throughout the state. They will participate in the intensive Maine State Teacher of the Year selection process, with finalists and a winner to be announced later this year.
More information about the 2021 Maine County Teachers of the Year is on the Maine Department of Education website and the Educate Maine website.