Alumni named Teachers of the Year return to campus

Two Grand Valley alumni who were each named Michigan Teacher of the Year by the Michigan Department of Education will discuss leadership at an event February 28 hosted by Student Senate. 

Tracy Horodyski and Luke Wilcox's presentation, "Teacher Leadership Matters," will take place from 7-9 p.m. in the Cook-DeWitt Center on the Allendale Campus. 

Horodyski, a reading interventionist and literacy coach at Zinser Elementary in Kenowa Hills Public Schools, was named the 2016-17 Michigan Teacher of the Year. She received a bachelor's and master's degree from Grand Valley in 1999 and 2002, respectively. 

Wilcox, a mathematics teacher at East Kentwood High School in Kentwood Public Schools, was named the 2017-18 Michigan Teacher of the Year. He received a master's degree in education from Grand Valley in 2006. 

Eric-John Szczepaniak, chair of the Student Senate Educational Affairs Committee and student in the College of Education, said he hopes attendees leave the event feeling inspired. 

"For future teachers, I hope they become motivated to seek out new ways to go forward into their future classrooms," he said. "For non-education majors, I hope they are able to evaluate the teachers they've had and discover how much passion these two educators have for their careers." 

The event is approved for LIB 100 classes. Click here for more information.