Prairie State Wire

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) held its 50th Annual Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Banquet on May 18 in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. The event celebrated the achievements of the 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year Cohort and other awardees, drawing over 1,000 attendees. Notable figures such as Governor JB Pritzker, State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders, ISBE Board Chair Dr. Steven Isoye, and previous awardees like Briana Morales and Dr. Rachael Mahmood were present.

Dr. Lindsey Jensen emceed the evening's events. The banquet is an annual tradition sponsored by ISBE to honor educators who make significant contributions to their school communities. The honorees include classroom teachers, administrators, volunteers, educational service personnel, and school support staff.

Dr. Sanders expressed gratitude to educators for their dedication: “To all of our educators, thank you for listening to the voice in your soul that calls you to build a career around students.” He emphasized the importance of recognizing exceptional educators who shape students' futures positively.

Dr. Isoye highlighted the banquet's role in creating opportunities: “The annual Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Banquet is not just a one-night celebration but a gateway to new opportunities.”

Dr. Mahmood shared her reflections on education's impact during her remarks: “It's not the grand initiatives or projects that define us, but the moments of transformation we witness in our students.”

This year saw a record number of nominations for the awards program. Among those honored was Dr. Mahmood from Georgetown Elementary School in Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204 and Comfort Agboola from Chicago Public Schools, who received the Milken Educator Award earlier this year.

Dr. Mahmood will serve as an ambassador starting in July and represent Illinois nationally through the National Teacher of the Year program.

Further details about this program can be found on ISBE’s website.