Tuesday, May 11, 2021
In a series of surprise virtual meetings, State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor notified five Wisconsin educators that they are the 2022 Wisconsin Teachers of the Year. A new video captures the moments Tarah Fedenia, Kabby Hong, Anna Miller, Eric Mumm, and Patricia Zemke learned of their honor.
“The Teachers of the Year represent what’s best about all of Wisconsin’s teachers—their focus on equity and diversity, their compassion and high standards, and their humble, student-centered approaches that help make sure all students graduate, college and career ready,” Stanford Taylor said.
The 2022 Wisconsin Teachers of the Year are:
Tarah Fedenia is a K-6 Speech Language Pathologist at Poplar Creek Elementary in the New Berlin School District. Fedenia is the first Wisconsin Teacher of the Year from the New Berlin School District. She is known for her compassion and commitment to serving all students, and working for equity, particularly in underserved communities.
“While there is much to celebrate in education today, changes to strengthen and improve teaching must be centered on combating inequality in education. One way is to ensure that underserved schools have adequate resources.”
Kabby Hong is an English teacher for the Verona Area High School in the Verona Area School District. Hong is the first Wisconsin Teacher of the Year from The Verona Area School District. He earned National Board certification, along with several other teaching awards in his 20 years of experience, and remains optimistic for the future.
“I have always seen public education in this country as a source for social good, and I think if we are ever going to heal as a country our educators must lead the way.”
Anna Miller is a pre-K through 3rd-grade Speech Language Pathologist at Harmony Elementary in the Milton School District. Miller is the first Wisconsin Teacher of the Year from the Milton School District. She has adapted to virtual speech and language sessions with students when needed and runs a preschool speech and language playgroup for three and four-year-old children who do not yet attend school.
“All children do well when they can. This is the statement that drives my educational philosophy. It is the statement by which I measure my work as a speech and language pathologist.”
Eric Mumm is a technology and engineering teacher at the Lancaster High School in the Lancaster Community School District.
Mumm is the first Wisconsin Teacher of the Year for the Lancaster Community School District. He was identified as a 2020 Wisconsin Educator of Promise by the Department of Public Instruction and teaches his courses with the main objective of all students becoming certified in Precision Measurement Instruments.
“My goal is to help students develop and retain a diverse and essential toolkit for anything beyond high school, from everyday life skills to college to the workforce.”
Patricia Zemke is a 6th-grade health teacher at John Muir Middle School and Horace Mann Middle School in the Wausau School District. Zemke earned National Board certification, and among several other roles, serves on the Board of Directors for Providers and Teens Communicating Health, and is a community mentor for Medical College of Wisconsin.
“I seek to create an environment where students feel safe to share their dreams; A classroom where students develop empathy to learn from and inspire one another; A classroom where students develop grit to keep striving; A classroom where students develop skills that empower them to become their best self.”
Each teacher of the year receives $3,000 from the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation. Through an interview process, one of the five teachers will be selected to represent Wisconsin in the Council of Chief State School Officers National Teacher of the Year program.
For more information about the selection process for the Teacher of the Year Program, visit the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation web page on the DPI website.