Thank you to all who joined us at our annual Teacher of the Year gala! It was a night filled with music, food, and fun, but most importantly, it was an opportunity to celebrate the incredible educators of KCPS.
We take special pride in honoring the passion and expertise our teachers bring to class every single day. Thank you for making a difference in your students' lives and being a positive influence for the entire Kansas City community!
Special thanks for McCown Gordon for sponsoring, the KCPS Education Foundation for their support of the event, Mr. Thornton and the Paseo Academy Jazz Band for providing live music, and the Southeast High School Dance Team for their showcase.
You can view photos from the evening here.
2026 Teacher of the Year
A special congratulations is in order for 2026 Teacher of the Year Lori Sparks, Pre-K teacher from Pitcher Elementary! As the overall winner, Ms. Sparks takes home a $5,000 award from the KCPS Education Foundation. What a well-deserved honor!
Teacher of the Year Runners-Up
We want to offer more congratulations to our Teacher of the Year Finalists, Mr. Coi Bui, English Language Learner Instructor at Northeast High School, and Mr. Mason Meyer, History Teacher at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy. As finalists, they each receive a $1,000 instructional grant!
School-Level Teachers of the Year
Finally, we recognize each of our school-level Teachers of the Year. Congratulations, and thank you for representing the best of each of our school communities.
