Henry County is filled with teachers who show up every day ready to encourage, challenge, and inspire their students. They celebrate the big milestones, guide students through the tough moments, and quietly shape the future of our community.

Teachers like these deserve to be celebrated!

That’s the heart behind the Teacher Excellence Award at the Henry County Community Foundation. Created by generous anonymous donors and inspired by Danny and Patty Danielson’s love for this community, the award was designed to shine a light on educators who consistently go above and beyond for their students.

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Teacher Excellence Award. The ideal candidate is inspiring, creative, committed, enduring, and encouraging. If a teacher has made a difference in your life or in the life of your child, this is a meaningful way to say thank you.

The next recipient will join an impressive group of educators who have been honored over the years, including Debra Hicks, Judy Hubbard, Stephanie DeLoughery, Rick Penn, April Isaacs, Tracy Young, Art Edinger, Carissa Brammer, Nancy Wadman, Cheri Estelle, Shanna Smucker, Lou Nell Richardson, Angela Miller, Emily Whaley, Angie Talbott, Michelle Fries, Matthew Hurst, David Allen, Kelly Harvey, and most recently, Kristin Tran.

Mrs. Tran, a 22-year educator at Blue River Valley Jr/Sr High School, has dedicated her entire teaching career to helping students discover confidence and curiosity through science. In addition to teaching Biology I and AP Biology, she has led the school’s Biomedical Pathway.

For Mrs. Tran, the most rewarding part of teaching is seeing students light up with curiosity. “What I love most about teaching is when students become excited and curious about what we’re learning,” she shared. “I love sharing my passion for Biology with my students, and am delighted when they find some of that joy too.”

Receiving the award was both humbling and motivating. “Receiving an award like this reminds me how incredibly fortunate I am to have a job that I love, where I also feel appreciated. This award reminds me that the things I do within my classroom make a difference in my school community, and drives me to want to continue to grow as an educator.”

Now it’s time to recognize the next outstanding teacher.

Any current full-time teacher in a Henry County public school is eligible to be nominated. Parents, students, colleagues, and community members who have experienced the impact of a teacher firsthand are encouraged to submit a nomination.

To complete the nomination form, visit www.henrycountycf.org. Nominations are due on March 20.

For questions or additional assistance, please contact the Foundation office at 765.529.2235.