(03/04/2025) Blaine High School special education teacher Ted Erickson has been named a semifinalist for the 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year award. 

Erickson is one of 31 educators statewide who will be considered to move on as a finalist after being selected as a semifinalist from an initial field of 142 candidates.

"It's just school — talk to kids, teach them a little, have some fun,” Erickson said. “Somehow, that got me here."

This year’s program will name the 61st Minnesota Teacher of the Year, celebrating the tradition of excellence in teaching throughout the state. Eligible candidates include pre-kindergarten through grade 12, Early Childhood Family Education, and Adult Basic Education teachers from public or private schools. 

In mid-March, a panel of community leaders will review the semifinalists’ portfolios and video submissions to select about 10 finalists. The 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year banquet will be held May 4 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Read more about the award, and see a statewide list of semifinalists on the Education Minnesota website.