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Semifinalists for 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year revealed
DENVER (KDVR) — And then there were 22. The semifinalists for the 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year were revealed Thursday, with the remaining contenders representing 22 schools from 17 districts and two charters.
The Colorado Department of Education said this year's semifinalists — which already beat out nearly 400 other contenders — are the most 'geographically diverse' to date, with at least two representing every region in the state.
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'We're proud to recognize this incredible group of educators who represent the best of Colorado's teaching profession,' said Education Commissioner Susan Córdova, in a statement.
The semifinalists were selected from a pool of 419 initial applicants from a total of 106 school districts, the CDE said. The candidates were reviewed by a committee of more than 40 people, including previous Colorado Teacher of the Year winners, Colorado Department of Education staff and representatives from the Boettcher Foundation.
'Each of these semifinalists has made a meaningful impact in their classrooms and communities, and we wish them all the best as they move forward in the selection process,' Córdova said.
The 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year semifinalists are:
Julie Ahrens from Twin Peaks Classical Academy (authorized by St. Vrain Valley School District)
Artemio Baltazar from Grand Valley Center for Family Learning in Garfield County School District 16
Sarah Bayer from Polaris Expeditionary Learning School in Poudre School District
Jessica Bell from Denver Green School Northfield in Denver Public Schools
Kevin Brown from Red Rocks Elementary School in Jeffco Public Schools
Liz Fitzgerald from Mesa View Elementary School in Mesa County Valley School District 51.
Emily Gaytan from Centennial Elementary School in Harrison School District 2
Malynda (Mindy) Green from Revere School in Revere School District
Elisamaria Heredia from Alamosa Elementary School 3-5 in Alamosa School District Re-11J
Brittney Isom from Genoa-Hugo School in Genoa-Hugo School C-113
Teri Kopack from Durango High School in Durango School District 9-R
Stephanie LaCount from Grand Junction High School in Mesa County Valley School District 51
Julie Milam from Canon City High School in Canon City School District RE-1
Julie Naski Roman from Carson Elementary School in Denver Public Schools
Stephen Paulson from Greeley Central High School in Greeley-Evans School District 6
Tyler David Philipsen from Coronado High School in Colorado Springs School District 11
Gayathri Ramkumar from Aurora Central High School in Aurora Public Schools
Diana Remick from La Junta Primary School in East Otero School District
Sabra Sowell-Lovejoy from Campo Undivided High School in Campo School District RE-6
Elizabeth Rose Tarbutton from Peak to Peak Charter School (authorized by Boulder Valley School District)
Kendall Van Valkenburg from Red Canyon High School in Eagle County School District Re-50J
Leon Vasquez from Drake Middle School in Jeffco Public Schools
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The eventual winner will be Colorado's nominee for the Council of Chief State School Officers' National Teacher of the Year Program, be honored at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C., and receive $5,000 from the Boettcher Foundation, according to the CDE.
Finalists for the 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year will be announced by the CDE in September. The ultimate winner will be named in October.
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