June marked the final chapter of my official journey as the 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year. As I begin to pass the torch and transition back into the classroom, I remain grateful...

This May was a month of full-circle moments, farewells, and fresh beginnings, as I prepare to pass the baton as Illinois Teacher of the Year.

Whether through early childhood education, equity in higher education, or advocacy at the legislative level, I found myself consistently reminded that belonging doesn’t happen by accident — it’s something we intentionally build together.

March has been a month filled with moments that remind me just how fortunate we are to be educators in the state of Illinois.