Founded in 1893 as a teachers college, Southern has a long history of educating the educators — and the results are impressive. Owls have been consistently recognized as “Top Educators” at city and state levels and beyond. Southern graduates have won Milken Educator Awards (with its $25,000 prize), Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, and more. In 2016, Jahana Hayes, ’05, was named the National Teacher of the Year; she went on to be elected to the United States Congress, representing Connecticut’s fifth district. This history of excellence continues. Congratulations to these alumni honorees who recently were recognized at the state level.
2025 Connecticut Teacher of the Year
Julia Miller, 6th Yr. ’23 * Civics teacher at Metropolitan Business Academy, New Haven
2024 Connecticut Superintendent of the Year from the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents
Joseph Macary, 6th Yr. ’07 * Vernon Public Schools
2024 High School Principal of the Year from the Connecticut Association of Schools
Kurt Ogren, M.S. ’94, 6th Yr. ’01 * Woodland Regional High School, Beacon Falls
Prospective Teacher of Color Scholarship Recipient as announced by the Connecticut Teacher of the Year Council
Ramzie Highsmith, M.A.T. ’24 * Art teacher at Edgewood STEAM Magnet School, New Haven
Early Career Educator of Excellence from the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance
Sarah Pullen, ’15 * Founding school counselor at KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) Antioch College Prep Middle School
2024-25 COLT (Connecticut Council of Language Teachers) Teacher of the Year
Catherine Haase, M.A. ’18 * Spanish teacher, Torrington Public Schools
2024 Connecticut History Teacher of the Year from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Rhonan Mokriski, M.S. ’96 * Salisbury School, an all-boys, college-preparatory boarding school
Are you a recent award-winning alumni educator? Southern would love to share your good news. Send us information on the honoree and their high-resolution photograph to StruykV1@SouthernCT.edu.
