Typically, the National Teachers Hall of Fame inductee selection committee has a difficult task as it picks the five educators to be honored in Emporia every summer.
Hall of Fame Director Maddie Fennell says the choice is much more difficult this time. Reason being: over 50 nominations were submitted this time.
The initial field is now down to 12 candidates. Fennell says the five finalists will be chosen on Valentine’s Day.
Fennell says the Hall expanded its outreach as a way to foster more nominations, using several organizations and influencers to spread the word.
As the Hall gets ready for surprise nominations later this winter and spring, Fennell says it is also getting ready for the formal inductions themselves. Part of that includes installing a new granite tablet at the National Memorial to Fallen Educators with the names of nine educators to be inscribed. Fundraising continues for that effort.
In addition, the Hall of Fame continues working to add sponsorships as a way to bolster fundraising.
Official induction ceremonies will be June 16-20 in Emporia. Part of that will be a stop in Topeka through a new partnership involving the Hall and Brown v Board of Education National Historic Park.
More information is online at nthf.org.
