Bennington Middle School teacher named 2025 Nebraska Teacher of the Year

BENNINGTON, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Education on Thursday honored a Bennington Middle School science and social studies teacher as the 2025 Nebraska Teacher of the Year.

Lindsey Wilson, a teacher at Bennington Middle School, is the 2025 Nebraska Teacher of the Year. September 19, 2024.

Lindsey Wilson, who has been a teacher since 2009 and joined Bennington Schools in 2022, also taught sixth- and eighth-grade math at the middle school, according to the Department of Education. Wilson previously taught at King Tech Magnet School in Omaha and Morton Magnet School.

“It’s not just me, it’s all the people I work with, my kids, I’ve spent the past two years with, my family,” Wilson said of the honor. “This is a collective award.”

“Annoying Science Teacher”

Bennington Public Schools is one of the fastest growing of Nebraska’s 245 school districts, and Wilson said she is proud to be a part of the district. Over her 17 years of teaching, she said, her teaching style has become more hands-on, in part because of her own experiences.

“As a student, I went through a lot of difficulties in school,” Wilson told reporters. “I didn’t see the value in it or my place in the traditional education system.”

Once in college, Wilson said she started taking some college education courses and began to enjoy the new courses she discovered.

“Every year I enjoy it more and more and see the value I bring to the kids, my colleagues, and I have a lot of fun,” Wilson said. “I really can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Teacher Lindsey Wilson receives the 2025 Nebraska Class of 2025 from Nebraska Commissioner of Education Brian Maher in her Bennington classroom on Thursday, September 19, 2024. Teacher of the Year Award.

Nebraska Education Commissioner Brian Maher surprised Wilson with the award during one of his morning classes. More than 100 teachers were nominated. They will then be invited to apply as part of an extensive competitive application process, which includes a one-hour interview and mock session with department staff.

Maher told Wilson’s students that there are many great teachers in Nebraska, but what sets Wilson apart is “her energy, her willingness to do what’s right for the kids (and) her willingness to take risks in teaching but always Put students’ interests first.

Wilson will serve as an ambassador for Nebraska next year, advocating for teachers across the state and on the national stage.

Two other finalists Outstanding Award Winners: Megan Pitrat, Syracuse/Avoca/Dunbar Middle School, and Tom Whisinnand, Neihardt Elementary School, Millard Public Schools.

Wilson said she doesn’t know if she is different from other teachers at Bennington, saying all add their own value to their teaching or work.

“I’m a geeky science teacher, and I own it. I love that,” Wilson said with a laugh as some of her science colleagues peeked into her classroom to join in the celebration.

Make learning fun

Wilson said that when she started, she was afraid to try new things for fear they might fail. But because she wants her students to be able to try new things without fear of failure, she strives to model that vision.

Lindsey Wilson led a science lesson on geological plates at Bennington Middle School after being named the 2025 Nebraska Teacher of the Year. September 19, 2024.

Teaching is all about having fun, Wilson added, describing herself as a fan of innovative teaching that gets students up and running or helps them look at education differently and see every lesson Can be fun and engaging.

“If you’re not having fun as a teacher, the kids aren’t having fun, so you have to love what you do, just like you would with any profession,” Wilson said. “If you’re there, learning with them, it’s all worth it.”

Last year, some of Wilson’s students asked her to teach, including Abby Iverson. Both Abby and one of her friends, Lucy Hunter, said Wilson had “crazy” ideas to make difficult subjects like science easier.

“I’m really happy for Mrs. Wilson,” Abby said.

Lucy said that a few weeks ago, Wilson taught a class on natural materials and had students walk around the school hall taking selfies with people and other materials to demonstrate what they had learned. For example, Lucy said, a cucumber in a restaurant represents a reusable resource.

“She made it really fun, and when you do something fun with it, it’s an easier way to remember it,” Lucy said.

“More than just a messenger”

2025 Nebraska Teacher of the Year Awards. September 19, 2024.

Wilson said Bennington has a well-structured science curriculum, but one of her initiatives is to build the curriculum around it in a more fun, digital or hands-on way. She enjoys applying textbook content to work or data.

“Now, they’re acting as student geologists, and they’re tracking earthquakes and volcanoes and all these other things to look for these patterns in real-time data,” Wilson said of her students.

Wilson said students and society are changing and education does not have to follow the “traditional model” many people grew up with.

“We are not just messengers, we are shapers of future citizens, thinkers, doers, and leaders,” Wilson wrote. “This awareness is a power and every teacher must realize the profound impact they make every day.”

The Nebraska State Board of Education will honor Wilson, Pitrat and Whisinnand at a reception in December. Wilson will also compete in the national Teacher of the Year competition.

Bennington Middle School teacher Lindsey Wilson speaks with reporters after being named the 2025 Nebraska Teacher of the Year. September 19, 2024.

Get the morning’s top stories delivered to your inbox

subscription