2022 Award Winners
2022 Kansas Master Teachers
2022 Class of Kansas Master Teachers
Representing nearly 130 years of teaching experience, the seven members of the 2022 class of Kansas Master Teachers were announced on Feb. 22, 2022. The teachers chosen for this annual award are:
- Andy Battenfield, Physical Education Teacher at Village Elementary School in USD 253 Emporia;
- Melanie Hammond, Chemistry/Physical Science Teacher at South High School in USD 305 Salina ;
- Karen Stohlmann Henderson, Mathematics & Engineering Teacher at Northwest High School in USD 229 Blue Valley;
- Sarah M. Hoff, Social Studies Teacher at Dodge City High School in USD 443 Dodge City;
- Gina Johnson, Fourth and Fifth Grade Teacher at O'Loughlin Elementary School in USD 489 Hays;
- Bryan Scruggs, Instructional Coach at Seitz Elementary School in USD 475 Geary County; and
- Barbara Tholen, Journalism Adviser/Graphic Design Teacher at Lawrence High School in USD 497 Lawrence.
Through the support of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, each Master Teacher will be presented with a check for $1000.
The recipients were selected by a 10-member committee including representatives from the Kansas Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, Kansas Principals Association, Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals, Kansas National Education Association, Kansas National Education Association – Student Program, ESU’s Kappa Delta Pi student organization, and representatives of the 2020 Kansas Master Teacher class.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Kansas Master Teachers as well as the 2022 Master Teachers were honored on Master Teacher Day on Wednesday, April 6 at Emporia State University. The Kansas Master Teacher program suspended recognizing individual teachers for 2021.
Emporia State established the Kansas Master Teacher awards in 1954. The awards are presented annually to selected teachers who demonstrate the attributes of exemplary professional educators.
Since 1980, Bank of America has pledged more than $100,000 to permanently endow the Kansas Master Teacher awards. In 1984, the Black family of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, established an endowed chair for Kansas Master Teachers. The fund provides a stipend to bring two Master Teachers to Emporia State for several days. During this time, the teachers present to classes of education students.
Dr. Scott Waters, who served Emporia State University as a faculty member from 1984-2020, was surprised the evening of the banquet by being named in the class of 2022 Kansas Master Teachers.
