The College of Education (COE) will host the second annual Illinois State University Teacher of the Year awards program on Friday, April 5. Fifteen semifinalists will be recognized in three categories: Teacher of the Year, Legacy Teacher Award, and Laboratory Schools Teacher of the Year. The winner in each category will be announced during the event.
The COE annually recognizes outstanding teaching among all teacher education graduates from Illinois State University. The awards honor teachers who have distinguished themselves by demonstrating qualities as a teacher leader, commitment to students, impact in their communities, and commitment to professional growth.
Teacher of the Year
Brad Marcy ’09, M.S. ’17, of Le Roy, earned a bachelor’s degree in history education and a master’s degree in history from Illinois State. He is a history and social science teacher and department chair at Le Roy High School. Throughout his 13 years of teaching, he developed his SEAR model of teaching that focuses on experiential learning in which learning experiences should be situational, experiential, authentic, and reflective. He creates immersive history lessons that include creating battle shields and catapults and cleaning gravestones of U.S. military veterans. Marcy is a U.S. Army veteran and earned numerous military awards and recognition during his time of service.
Legacy Teacher Award
April Schermann ’02, of Normal, earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education from Illinois State. For 22 years, she has taught mathematics and computer science at Normal West High School. She has implemented “building thinking classrooms,” which get her students on their feet and encourages them to work with their peers to think through challenging problems. She is a leader who has spearheaded multiple initiatives to bridge the gender gap in STEM fields, encourage underrepresented groups to explore exciting possibilities, and engage hundreds of young students in learning nights that teach them about computer coding. She was also named the 2023 Project Lead the Way National Computer Science Teacher of the Year.
Nancy Powell ’74, M.S. ’90, of Bloomington, earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education and a master’s degree in educational administration from Illinois State. She taught for 36 years with most of those as a math teacher at Bloomington High School. She is a national board certified teacher. Her contributions to the mathematics learning community extend beyond the classroom in which she has traveled to 37 states to lead mathematics and technology workshops. Her numerous awards and recognitions include the Presidential Award of Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, Golden Apple Fellow, Illinois High School Teacher of the Year, and Tandy Technology and Mathematics Scholar.
Laboratory Schools Teacher of the Year
David Harnish, of Normal, is a social studies teacher at University High School. He is currently working on a doctorate in education in the School of Teaching and Learning at Illinois State. Harnish has a deep commitment to making systemic changes in education so that every student feels seen, heard, and included in their educational experiences. In the classroom, he has made the world history curriculum more global and diverse in perspective. As the co-chair of the U-High Diversity Committee, he has led an examination of the admissions process and worked with the committee to develop concrete solutions for recruiting more students from traditionally marginalized communities.
Teacher of the Year finalists
Amy Cavanaugh ’07, of Frankfort, earned a bachelor’s degree in English education from Illinois State. Cavanaugh is an English teacher at Lincoln-Way East High School and is proud to have spent her entire teaching career at her high school alma mater. As a reflective educator, she developed research-based “ungrading” techniques/standards in order to make assessments more authentic and meaningful. She published two articles in the English Journal and was awarded the Paul and Kate Farmer Award honorable mention at the National Council for Teachers of English Conference in 2019 for one of her published articles.
Mark Iwinski ’07, of New Lenox, earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Illinois State. He has been the director of bands at Victor J. Andrew High School since 2010, conducting wind and percussion ensembles, jazz bands, and musical orchestras, and directing the competitive marching band. His bands have received four Mark of Excellence awards from the Foundation for Music Education and have been nine-time finalists for the Illinois State Marching Band Championship. He has also received the Chicagoland Music Educator Award and currently serves as the state chairperson for the American School Band Directors Association.
Tiffany Iwinski ’08, of New Lenox, earned a bachelor’s degree in music education (instrumental) from Illinois State. She is a general music and orchestra teacher for Orland School District 135 and an adjunct professor of music education at North Central College. Her oboe and guitar studio has many students achieving honors for their abilities. She was recently accepted into the Connected Arts Networks Professional Learning Music Community where she engages with other music educators and experts and explores innovative approaches to the realm of equity, diversity, inclusion, and social-emotional learning in the music classroom.
Carl Nelson ’07, of Sahuarita, Arizona, earned a bachelor’s degree in history education from Illinois State. He works at Walden Grove High School as a history teacher and department chair, head junior varsity girls’ basketball coach, and associate head football coach. As department chair, he has more than quadrupled the number of students taking an AP social studies course. He is a lead facilitator guiding new teachers through a two-year program to enhance their teaching and build community. His numerous awards include multiple teacher of the month honors, high school and district teacher of the year, and Barstool Sports-Arizona Bowl Teacher of the Year.
Legacy Teacher Award finalists
Shawna Beam-Axline ’97, of Canton, earned a bachelor’s degree in history education from Illinois State. She is a social studies teacher and department chair at Peoria Central High School with over 25 years of teaching experience. In 2022, she received the “Power of One” designation from her students who viewed her as the one person who influenced them the most in high school. She encourages her students to engage in democracy by learning about the constitution and working as poll supervisors. As a mentor for young teachers, she takes time to get to know them and helps them navigate the challenges of teaching in an urban school.
Carolina Bustamante ’05, of Chicago, earned a bachelor’s degree in English education with a dual certification in English language arts and Spanish from Illinois State. She has spent the majority of her 22-year teaching career at Infinity Math, Science, and Technology High School as a Spanish/English teacher and Spanish department chair. As an educator who facilitates meaningful learning experiences that transcend traditional boundaries, she pioneered an independent studies program for students who lacked interest in traditional schooling. She also has a passion for teaching her community about health and nutrition due to the high need of health advocacy in her community.
Timothy Loest ’85, of Wheaton, earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Illinois State. He spent his entire 36-year teaching career as the band director at F.E. Peacock Middle School in Itasca before retiring in 2022. During his tenure, he taught instrumental music, hosted nine student teachers, and led the Peacock Jazz Band to 29 consecutive Division 1 contest ratings. He is internationally recognized as a composer/arranger for wind band and has written music for Warner Bros. Publications, C.L. Barnhouse, Company, The FJH Music Company, MakeMusic Publications, and RWS Music Company.
Laboratory School Teacher of the Year Finalists
Amy Reiman ’08, M.S. ’13, of Normal, earned a bachelor’s degree in English education and a master’s degree in English studies at Illinois State. She is an English teacher at University High School where she has served for her entire teaching career. She takes a holistic approach to education and actively demonstrates restorative practice and restorative justice. She has a certification in Breath for Change, which brings mindfulness and yoga practices to the classroom, and she co-sponsors the Body Project. She is co-chair for the Student Diversity Committee and the Staff Diversity Committee and works alongside her award-winning school journalism staff.
Amy Schumacher, of Bloomington, is a fourth grade teacher at Thomas Metcalf Laboratory school. For 27 years, Schumacher has been a passionate and creative teacher focused on relationships with her students. In the classroom, she creates a learning experience that ignites critical thinking by implementing a book club and hands-on science activities that spark creativity and enthusiasm for learning. At Metcalf, she is a member of the Leadership Team and serves on multiple committees. She shares her experience and vast knowledge through participating in Metcalf’s New Teacher Training and mentoring Illinois State University clinical and student teachers.
Katherine Smith ’10, of Bloomington, earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education at Illinois State, and she is currently working on a doctorate in mathematics education. She is a math teacher at University High School, head coach for the Math Team, Zumba Club sponsor, and a member of the Leadership Team, Diversity Committee, and Clinical Experiences Committee. Her greatest accomplishment is knowing that her students had a student-centered classroom experience that helped them better engage, build their confidence, and see their potential. She creates meaningful and immersive math lessons like exploring linear regressions by using rubber bands to create a Barbie doll bungee jump.
Kristi Sutter ’13, of Bloomington, earned a library sciences certification from Illinois State. Sutter has been teaching for 30 years and is an instructional facilitator at Metcalf Laboratory School. Previously, she was an elementary teacher and library media specialist. Sutter is currently leading a School within a School pilot program which implements design thinking into innovative programming for Metcalf students. She mentors Illinois State students as an instructional assistant professor and a mentor for first-year teacher education students in the Redbird educator scholars program. She strives to instill an inquiry approach and design a thinking mindset to help them adapt to the ever-changing educational landscape.
