AUGUSTA, Maine — From 600 nominees, state leaders announced Thursday the 16 county winners for Maine Teacher of the Year.
In addition to returning home as rockstars, the teachers will act as ambassadors for their schools and lobby the Legislature for things they believe are important. Maine’s reigning Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard explained this new position as each teacher was honored.
"They will be giving voice to their students and their families, their colleagues, and their state," Chard said to the crowd of teachers and their peers and loved ones. "They will spend the next year being the experts in the room."
Teachers shape who we are more than we sometimes know. Imagine what this lot can do with a weighty new title.
Last year's Oxford County Teacher of the Year Lacey Todd successfully nominated her fellow Mountain Valley fifth grade teacher Elizabeth Ledesma to succeed her.
"It feels really good to be seen and valued for the work that I do with our kids every day," Ledesma smiled as she stood with Todd.
So then, what makes a great teacher?
"The bottom line, making a great teacher is somebody who puts the kids first, who cares about kids, who loves kids, and Liz fully embodies that," Todd said as Ledesma blushed.
We posed the same question to Washington County winner Ashley Cirone, kindergarten teacher at Harrington Elementary.
"Somebody who has a lot of patience; is very loving and caring and wants to support kids and their students in ways that make them be able to fulfill their full potential," she answered.
Cirone couldn’t bring her students with her for Thursday’s ceremony in Augusta, so she had them decorate the very bottom of her dress with painted handprints, wrapping around the hem.
"They just know it’s a special event," Cirone explained, then laughed. "They thought I was going to Taylor Swift."
She said she felt a big responsibility to represent her county, and to make sure their voices were heard on a different level.