Outstanding Educator Award Winners

Nicholas Darlinton Ridgevue High School, Caldwell Nicholas Darlinton is an English and AVID teacher at Ridgevue High School in his 19th year of education. He was a Boise State Writing Project fellow in 2012, and will return in 2026 as a teaching coach. He directs the Idaho’s Scholastic Writing Awards, a program that encourages and…

Ashli Clements Hawthorne Middle School, Pocatello Ms. Ashli Clements teaches 8th-grade English Language Arts at Hawthorne Middle School in Pocatello, where she lives with her 3-year old son. This is her 6th year teaching. She graduated from the University of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction.…

Abby Fremouw Sorensen Magnet School of the Arts and Humanities, Coeur d’Alene Abby Fremouw is a third-grade teacher at Sorensen Magnet School of the Arts and Humanities in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where she lives with her husband and three children. She enjoys spending time outdoors and being part of her close-knit community. In her classroom,…

James Lauritsen Madison High School, Rexburg Mr. Lauritsen is a dedicated high school art teacher based in Rexburg, Idaho, where he lives with his wife. A father of three married children and proud grandfather to five, James has spent nearly two decades inspiring students in public education through all media of art and ceramics. His…

Tiffanie Bird Moscow Middle School, Moscow Ms. Bird teaches English Language Arts and Performing Arts at Moscow Middle School in Moscow. She is pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Idaho, where her research focuses on drama-based education and its impact on student narrative writing in the ELA classroom. Her work reflects her dedication to…

Angela DeLeon Guerrero Liberty Elementary School, Boise Ms. DG teaches 3rd grade at Liberty Elementary School in Boise. This is her 15th year teaching. She has taught 2nd-6thgrade. She graduated from Boise State with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2009 and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a math focus in…

Josh Udesen won Outstanding Educator of the Year in 2024 for grades 9-12 at Riverstone International School in Boise. For over twenty years, Josh Udesen has found that his world religions course is an ideal platform for encouraging curiosity about the variety of expression of the human spirit and teaching students about the value of our differences.…

Raul Pedraza won Outstanding Educator of the Year in 2024 for grades 6-8 at Vallivue Middle School in Caldwell. Named Vallivue Teacher of the Year in 2023, Raul Pedraza believes that a history curriculum is made up of many great stories. Pedraza helps Latine students connect with their cultural heritage by emphasizing the ancient Mesoamerican…

Annika Berry won Outstanding Educator of the Year in 2024 for grades K-5 at Pioneer Montessori School in Ketchum. Annika Berry has served as Lead Guide of the Lower Elementary classroom at Pioneer Montessori School since 2020. Lovingly referred to as Miss Annika, she nurtures a classroom community of personal choice, openness of expression, and…