VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI), released the names of the 50 County Teachers of the Year for North Dakota. Mrs. Nicole Powers, Kindergarten Teacher at Jefferson Elementary School, was named the 2026 Barnes County Teacher of the Year by NDDPI.
Superintendent Josh Johnson said she will now be considered for the North Dakota Teacher of the Year award named later on in the year. Mrs. Powers has been a teacher at Valley City Public Schools since 2007 with 19 total school years in the classroom.
The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction is proud to officially announce this year’s County Teachers of the Year! On behalf of Superintendent Levi Bachmeier, we congratulate these exceptional educators who have been recognized by their counties for their outstanding contributions to education. These teachers will be honored at a special recognition event on June 23rd at the State Capitol in Bismarck. Check out the full list of this year’s honorees below:
• Adams: Jennifer Fordahl, Hettinger Public School
• Barnes: Nicole Powers, Jefferson Elementary (Valley City)
• Benson: JoLynn Hill, Maddock Public School
• Bottineau: Chelsea Blada, Westhope Public School
• Bowman: Tyneal Burke, Bowman County Public School
• Burke: Jennifer Nelson, Bowbells Public School
• Burleigh: Amber Pasillas, Grimsrud Elementary (Bismarck)
• Cass: James Urlacher, Discovery Middle School (Fargo)
• Cavalier: Emily Braunberger, Langdon Area Schools
• Dickey: Cary Wertz, Southeast Region Career & Technology Center
• Divide: Tessa Rindel, Divide County Elementary
• Dunn: Holly Schmidt, Killdeer Public School
• Eddy: Craig Demester, New Rockford-Sheyenne Public School
• Emmons: Diana Christensen, HMB Public School
• Golden Valley: Mary Zachmann, Lincoln Elementary (Beach)
• Grand Forks: Hailey Joyce, Discovery Elementary (Grand Forks)
• Grant: Kyla Zenker, Roosevelt Public School (Carson)
• Griggs: Carlin Odstrcil, Midkota Public School
• Hettinger: Allie Hintz, Mott-Regent Public School
• Kidder: Serena Schmidt, Kidder County Schools
• LaMoure: Shelby Beethe, Edgeley Public School
• Logan: Brian Schneider, Napoleon Public School
• McHenry: Christine Fannik, Velva Public School
• McIntosh: Wendy Bichler, Ashley Public School
• McKenzie: Else-Marie Westman, Watford City Middle School
• McLean: Dustin Moe, Washburn Public School
• Mercer: Beverly Frank, Beulah Middle School
• Morton: John Gieser, Mandan High School
• Mountrail: Marisa Bueno, Parshall Public School
• Nelson: Benjamin Scallon, Lakota High School
• Oliver: Shanna Meier, Center-Stanton Public School
• Pembina: Jeffrey Moe, North Border School District
• Pierce: Ashleigh Blikre, Ely Elementary School
• Ramsey: Jerad Lehmann, Devils Lake High School
• Ransom: Kevin Bratland, Enderlin Area Schools
• Renville: Kaylee Olafson, Glenburn Public School
• Richland: Addie Overland, Richland School District
• Rolette: Jodi Hudson, Mt. Pleasant School District (Rolla)
• Sargent: Benjamin Ponzer, Sargent Central Public School
• Sheridan: Trista Senske, McClusky-Goodrich Public School
• Sioux: Ian Fisher, Solen Public School
• Stark: Jennifer Nokes, Roosevelt Elementary (Dickinson)
• Steele: Sidney Kenfield, Finley-Sharon Public School
• Stutsman: Teresa Olson, James Valley CTC
• Towner: Andria Juarez, North Star Public School
• Traill: Jessica Ogburn, May-Port CG High School
• Walsh: Eda Arabis, Park River Area Schools
• Ward: Lynn Whitesell, Central Middle School (Minot)
• Wells: Brooke Heil, Harvey Elementary-BM Hanson
• Williams: Lexie Brunsvold, Trenton Public School