Six Eden Prairie Schools teachers have been named semifinalists for 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Image contributed by Eden Prairie Schools
Six teachers from Eden Prairie Schools have been chosen as semifinalists for the 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, an annual award sponsored by Education Minnesota.
These educators were among 14 from Eden Prairie named for consideration earlier this year.
“Eden Prairie Schools continues to shine in the 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year selection process, with six outstanding educators advancing to the semifinalist round,” the district said in a message to families. “We are proud to have the most finalists of any district in the state.” The semifinalists are:
Laura Eid – Central Middle School
Michael Okwabi – Eden Prairie High School
Araceli Pastrana – Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion
Michelle Rada – Eden Prairie High School
Marcela Roos – Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion
Linda Wallenberg – Eden Prairie High School
A total of 31 semifinalists were chosen from an initial field of 142 candidates from across the state by an independent selection panel of 21 community leaders. The panel will next review the semifinalists’ portfolios again, along with semifinalist video submissions, in mid-March. The panel will then select about ten finalists from among the group.
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota, the statewide educators’ union, organizes and underwrites the Teacher of the Year program. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers, as well as Early Childhood Family Education and Adult Basic Education instructors from public or private schools. The Minnesota Teacher of the Year program also receives support from Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, the Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, SMART Technologies, and Expedition Credit Union.