Awards Nominations
We are accepting nominations for our 2026 awards until May 1, 2026. To nominate someone or apply, please complete a nomination form.
Teachers of the Year Awards:
- *Aquatics Teacher of the Year: Honor and recognize the outstanding services and contributions while teaching aquatics.
- Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year: Honor and recognize the outstanding services and contributions in adapted physical education by a Minnesota adapted physical education teacher.
- *Dance Educator of the Year: Honor and recognize the outstanding services and contributions in dance education by a Minnesota dance education teacher (not as a subject within a Physical Education program).
- Health Education Professional of the Year: Honor and recognize the outstanding services and contributions in health education by a Minnesota health education teacher.
- Elementary School Physical Education Teacher of the Year: Honor and recognize the outstanding services and contributions in elementary school education by a Minnesota elementary school teacher.
- Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year: Honor and recognize the outstanding services and contributions in middle school physical education by a Minnesota middle school teacher.
- Secondary Physical Education Teacher of the Year: Honor and recognize the outstanding services and contributions in secondary school physical education by a Minnesota secondary school teacher.
- *Young Professional Teacher of the Year: Honor and recognize the outstanding potential for teaching, professional leadership, and service in the Adapted Physical Education, Health, Physical Education, Dance, and/or Recreation profession for professionals in their first 5 years of teaching.
*Exempt from the SHAPE America Teacher of the Year partnership program.
MNSHAPE Teacher of the Year Eligibility Requirements (Rev. Jan 2025)
To qualify for and receive a MNSHAPE Teacher of the Year award, in elementary/middle/high school/adapted PE or health, a nominee must meet the following criteria:
- Have not previously received the award.
- Minimum of 5 years of teaching experience in the nominated content area.
- Degree and certification in teaching.
- Teaching full-time teaching at the time of nomination and selection of the award winner.
- Teaching a minimum of 30% in the content area of the nominated award. Note: in order to move forward for Central District or National TOY, you must be teaching at least 50% of the time in the awarded content area.
Teacher of the Year Awards not included in the SHAPE America Partnership Program:
- Aquatics Teacher of the Year
- Have not previously received the award.
- Minimum of 5 years teaching experience within aquatics (not necessarily in a school setting).
- Certification in Aquatics.
- Minimum of 30% total job responsibilities in aquatics.
- Young Professional Teacher of the Year
- Have not previously received the award.
- Within the first 5 years of teaching.
- Dance Teacher of the Year
- Have not previously received the award.
- Minimum of 5 years teaching experience within dance (not necessarily in a school setting).
- Minimum of 30% total job responsibilities in dance - not solely teaching dance as a unit in physical education.
State Awards:
- Carl Knutson School Health Education Award: Honor and recognize the outstanding services and contributions to school health education given by a Minnesota health educator as exemplified by Dr. Carl Knutson, supervisor of health, physical education and safety with the Minnesota Department of Education.
- Carolyne “Dolly” Strumbel Distinguished Service Award: Honor and recognize the outstanding services and contributions professional retirees have made to MNSHAPE for at least 10 years.
- George Hanson Developmental Adapted Physical Education Award: Honor and recognize the outstanding services and contributions given by an elementary, secondary, higher education, or other professional worker in the developmental adapted physical education profession as exemplified by George Hanson.
- Health and Fitness Advocacy Award: Honor and recognize outstanding services and contributions in the promotion of health, physical education, recreation and dance by an individual or organization outside the teaching profession.
- Lou Keller Award: Honor and recognize outstanding services and contributions given by a college or university professor or other professional worker (public school teachers exempted) in the fields of health, physical education, recreation, or dance as exemplified by Dr. Lou Keller former professor at the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis.
- Paul Schmidt Award: Honor and recognize the outstanding services and contributions given by an elementary or secondary teacher or supervisor in the fields of health, physical education, recreation, or dance as exemplified by Paul F. Schmidt, supervisor of elementary physical and recreation, Rochester Public Schools.
Past MNSHAPE Teachers of the Year
| Elementary Physical Education | Middle School Physical Education | High School Physical Education | Health Education | Adapted Physical Education |
|
|
|
|
|
| Dance | Aquatics | Young Professional Teacher of the Year |
|
|
|
| Paul Schmidt K-12 HPE Award | Carl Knutson Health Education | George Hanson DAPE award | Lou Keller Award | Health & Fitness Advocacy |
|
|
|
|
|
Past Central District Awardees from MN
Bold = Also won national teacher of the year
Mark L. Harvey Legacy Award
- 2021: Sue Tarr
Mark L. Harvey Legacy Future Professional Scholarship Award
- 2012: Megan McCollom
Central District Kathleen Kinderfather Award
- 2016: Courage Kenny Institute - Adapted Sports & Recreation
- 2010: American Heart Association - Minnesota Affiliate
Central District Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year
- 2026 Chris Tangert
- 2024: Derek Picha
- 2023: Randy Spring
Central District Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year
- 2025: Heather Burd
- 2017: Cynthia "CJ" Johnson
Central District High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year
- 2026: Carla Christiansen
- 2025: Lisa Smith
- 1991: Pat Stringer
Central District Health Education Teacher of the Year
- 2026: Steve Chapin
- 2022: Jessica Matheson
- 2004: Bonnie Young Johnson
Central District Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year
- 2024: Justin Lund
- 2022: Jen Heebink
- 2010: Kay Oling
- 2009: Deb Johansen
- 2008: Luann Palmquist
- 2007: Nancy Rud Gordon
- 2004: Rich Burke
- 2001: Mari Bergerson
Central District General Educator of the Year
- 1999: Barb Anton
Central District Dance Educator of the Year
- 2003: Ellen Cromwell-Cercle
- 2002: Mary Harding
- 1999: Ellen Cromwell-Cercle
Central District Scholar Award
- 2015: Sue Tarr
- 2012: Bridget Duoos
- 2005: John Rohwer
- 2001: Sherry Folsom-Meek
