Image courtesy Canva
The Kansas State Department of Education has announced the 32 recipients of the 2026 Kansas Horizon Award, which recognizes outstanding new teachers across the state.
Those selected will be honored during a special ceremony at the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network State Education Conference on Feb. 20 in Topeka.
The Kansas Horizon Award program allows every school district in Kansas to nominate one elementary teacher and one secondary teacher each year. To qualify, educators must have successfully completed their first year in the classroom and shown exceptional teaching skills.
Award winners are chosen from four regions of the state, which align with Kansas’ U.S. congressional districts. From each region, four elementary teachers and four secondary teachers may be selected, for a total of 32 honorees statewide.
The following recipients of the 2026 Kansas Horizon Award include:
Region 1
Mayci Armstrong, Rock Creek High School, Rock Creek USD 323
Alyssa Higbie, Manhattan High School, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383
Audrey Phelps, Ross Elementary School, Dodge City USD 443
Kate Steimel, Ellsworth Elementary School, Ellsworth USD 327
Phoebe Stottlemire, Valley Falls High School, Valley Falls USD 338
Tristyn Tow, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383
Claudia Trout, Bennington Grade School, Twin Valley USD 240
Allison Wickstrum, Blue Valley-Randolph High School, Blue Valley-Randolph USD 384
Region 2
Alyssa Beilfuss, Linwood Elementary School, Basehor-Linwood USD 458
Zaveah Kobza, David Brewer Elementary School, Leavenworth USD 453
Alyssa McCue, Walnut Elementary School, Emporia USD 253
Eva Noble, Piper Creek Elementary School, Piper USD 203
Kaysi Overdick, Tonganoxie High School, Tonganoxie USD 464
Shayla Rahe, Marion High School, Marion-Florence USD 408
Elizabeth Sturgis, Girard High School, Girard USD 248
Ashley Swanson, Carbondale Attendance Center, Santa Fe Trail USD 434
Region 3
Asia Beck, Trojan Elementary School, Osawatomie USD 367
Gregory Bergman, Olathe Advanced Technical Center, Olathe USD 233
Jordan Dombrowski, Shawnee Mission East High School, Shawnee Mission USD 512
Cordelia Hanger, Dayton Creek Elementary School, Spring Hill USD 230
Marissa Horstick, Central Heights Middle School, Central Heights USD 288
Brittney Jundt, Riverview Elementary School, De Soto USD 232
Meadow Richardson, Sunflower Elementary School, Paola USD 368
Katlyn Whittley, Wheatridge Middle School, Gardner Edgerton USD 231
Region 4
Laura Araiza, Wichita North High School, Wichita USD 259
Davon Brees, Complete High School Maize, Maize USD 266
Whitney Brummer, St. John-Hudson Elementary School, St. John-Hudson USD 350
Nolan Crumrine, Valley Center High School, Valley Center USD 262
Abbie Griffith, Goddard High School, Goddard USD 265
Lauren Mullen, R.L. Wright Elementary School, Sedgwick USD 439
Sally Pipes, Irving Elementary School, Winfield USD 465
Ashley Shuck, Lincoln Elementary School, Wellington USD 353
