National Teacher of the Year Awarded to Rebecka Peterson

APRIL 2023

After winning Oklahoma Teacher of the Year honors in 2022, Rebecka Peterson was named the 2023 National Teacher of the Year in April.

The 2009 Oklahoma Wesleyan University graduate is a math teacher at Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was chosen for the award from a pool of five finalists by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), a nonprofit organization.

Peterson was announced in an appearance on CBS Mornings. Dr. Jill Biden congratulated Peterson on the prestigious honor.

Since winning Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, Peterson has been on hiatus as an ambassador for teachers in the state public school system. She was also named a finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Peterson has also earned praise for her “One Good Thing” blog, where she posts positive updates from her classroom. To date, she has posted over 1,400 updates. Since becoming the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, she has started sharing other teachers’ good things on social media.

For the next year, Peterson will serve as a national ambassador and advocate for educators and students across the nation. She was honored at the White House this spring.

CCSSO’s National Teacher of the Year Program recognizes exceptional teachers nationwide, providing professional development opportunities and empowering them to engage in policy discussions. The 2023 National Teacher of the Year was selected from a group of five finalists, who were selected from among a group of 55 State Teachers of the Year.

Join us in congratulating Rebecka Peterson for living out the mission to Be One Sent!

Photo credit: CBSNews.com