UPDATED: Miller educator a finalist for Missouri Teacher of the Year

Emily Younker, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·2 min read

Sep. 1—MILLER, Mo. — Matthew Matheney IV, a math teacher at Miller High School, has been named a finalist for the 2023 Missouri Teacher of the Year award, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced Thursday.

Matheney, who is starting his fifth year at Miller, said the announcement came as a surprise.

"I was teaching and had not seen any of the emails that DESE sent out, and all of a sudden, my superintendent walks into my room and shouts, 'Congratulations!'" Matheney said, adding that he feels grateful to his school district and colleagues for their support. "Throughout this whole process, I've felt very humbled to be considered as much as I have been, for only teaching for four years. I feel honored to be in the running for this."

Matheney said he wanted to become a teacher after having an "epiphany" during a summer camp as a sophomore in high school, during which he took a class about education that challenged participants to create the ideal school.

"That idea of creating a school where students and teachers can create change in the world around them on a daily basis, that's kind of the dream, and that's what I've been working toward," he said. "I really enjoy having those little moments of success where I see part of that dream realized, creating moments where students have some self-advocacy or agency in their own learning, and they can create change in their world."

The Missouri Teacher of the Year program recognizes the efforts of effective teachers, working tirelessly to provide a high-quality education to their students, the state education department said.

"More than 70,000 public school educators across our state work hard every day to make an impact on the lives of Missouri students," said Margie Vandeven, education commissioner, in a statement. "Taking time to honor the top educators across our state through the Teacher of the Year program is important, as we are continually striving to elevate the teaching profession and emphasize the significance of the work they do."

A committee of teachers, business leaders and education organization officials will choose the Missouri Teacher of the Year following interviews with each finalist on Friday, Sept. 9. The winner, finalists, semifinalists and regional teacher honorees will be recognized on Oct. 17. The new Missouri Teacher of the Year will serve as the state's nominee for the 2023 National Teacher of the Year.

Other finalists are Christina Andrade Melly, Ritenour; Allison Fleetwood, Nixa; Cotreena Jones, Ferguson-Florissant; Kristina Kohl, Lindbergh; Katherine Meyers, Kirkwood; and Lindsey Watson, Blue Springs.