The Gold Star Teacher of the Year is…

Known by her students as Senora Bonfield, Christen has a deep passion for teaching and tries to help every student experience other cultures they otherwise may never have known about. In addition to founding the Campbell County Middle School's Spanish program, Christen continues to go the extra mile for each student she works with. This includes even working remotely to teach a student who could not attend classes during their brave battle against cancer. She aims to inspire each child she teaches to travel and experience the world outside their native Kentucky communities.

A hip-hop artist who went back to school to earn his master's in education, Khari believes the future of learning is connecting with students through the culture of hip-hop. This is why his students routinely find themselves in front of a microphone in a makeshift studio to transfer their reading and writing assignments into fun activities to creatively showcase their learning. He uses an incentive program where students can earn dollars to spend at their in-class store. Burton's "edutainment" efforts have helped him to meet students where they are and encouraged them to become active and engaged learners.

A teacher at CPS' Riverview East Academy, Kristen encourages random acts of kindness in various ways. This includes the Riverview Book Club, which she co-founded with a student as a safe space for others to engage in reading and community. Kristen also recruits students for TriHealth's School to Work program that gives CPS students exposure to real-life healthcare careers. She serves as the school's Girls to Women coordinator and routinely stays after school to help students pursue their dreams. Extending past graduation, Kristen even volunteered to help a past student pursue her dream of attaining a nursing degree.

Sarah knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day for students, so she ensures every child has a healthy, protein-filled meal, even if it means spending her own money. Her commitment to education is evident by her willingness to spend her summer creating a library for students or even caring for the school garden to ensure a bountiful harvest of hundreds of pounds of produce, not including "Judy," a giant pumpkin weighing in at 200 pounds! This is in addition to her work as an intervention specialist, helping children academically and emotionally be successful adults.

As a teacher at Holly Hill Elementary, Julie has been a transformative influence in the life of one student whose family was told that they would likely never be able to hear their child speak. With Julie's help, this student has developed the communication skills necessary to engage in activities with their classmates, has learned the alphabet, can write, sits for class and communicates with sign language. All things that this family thought would never be possible. As the parent who nominated her says, "Julie is truly an amazing, innovative, creative, caring one-of-a-kind teacher."

Audrey is an influential teacher at Scott High School, especially in her work with a particular student who has thrived under her guidance. Going above and beyond for her kids, Audrey "is more than a teacher; she is a friend." Working with students with special needs and behavioral challenges, Audrey ensures students thrive in and out of the classroom and helped launch a unified bowling team and unified volleyball game night for students. One parent shared, "Audrey makes all her kids feel like they are just like everyone else, and they can do the things the other kids can do."

As a role model at Mt. Healthy South Elementary, Katie's energy as a physical education teacher helps keep staff and students enthusiastic throughout the year. Be it something simple like surprising her fellow educators and students by purchasing snacks, enabling kids of all ages to thrive in their own ways, or by planning activities like Trunk or Treat and Selfies with Santa, she is focused on helping everyone make the most of their day. Her goal is to serve as a role model in and out of the classroom, driving her passion to ensure every child is supported.

Evident in the multiple nominations she received, Ana's commitment to early childhood education creates an environment focused on learning, diversity, and appreciation of others. She focuses on developing positive relationships students can carry on throughout life. Creating an inclusive space where students feel appreciated, one nomination shared she is an "exceptional educator with a loving, caring, and empathetic personality." This is in addition to ensuring her students understand and comprehend classroom concepts. Quote one parent, "Ana has a knack for not only seeing the best students, but the kids know that she sees something special in them."

A preschool teacher for CPS' Academy of Multilingual Immersion Studies, Jocelyn created digital content to support parents in assisting their children with their educational goals at home. Her dedication to students goes far beyond her role. She has actively sought donations for car seats, ensures that English language learners can follow and understand lessons, and collaborates on various school events, encouraging family involvement. As the colleague who nominated her noted, "Mrs. Sizemore … Consistently makes every effort to create pathways to success for her students and their families."

Bringing history to life for students is a passion for Michelle. This is why she finds unique and engaging ways to immerse students in each topic. She builds lasting relationships with students by openly sharing her life experiences while nurturing students' interest in learning. Creating lifetime learners is why she also spends hundreds of hours each summer (for the last 10 years) planning the 6th-grade trip to Washington, D.C., ensuring the students learn while making memories they will enjoy for a lifetime. In the words of one nomination, "She's my favorite teacher."