Awards for Human Rights & Excellence
Learn more about our 2025 winners (pictured above from left with MEA Vice President Brett Smith):
Instructional Excellence Award – Nicki Strach (Reed City)
Instructional Excellence for Diverse Learners Award – Jamie Hitt (Lakeview St. Claire Shores)
Distinguished Servant of Public Education – Brenda Massie (Ludington)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion – Kaitie Paynich (Portage)
MEA member wins prestigious national honor
MEA is proud that one of our 2024 award winners, Matt Hamilton of East Jordan, won the 2025 NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence.
He is the first Michigan educator to win this prestigious national honor.
MEA’s Awards for Human Rights & Excellence are awarded annual with nominations due in the fall. Stay tuned here for nomination forms and this year’s awards to be presented.
Nominating individuals or groups must be MEA members in good standing. If the nominee to be considered is an MEA member, the person must be in good standing.
Questions about awards can be sent to MEA Vice President Brett Smith at brsmith@mea.org.
