The Educator Academy

05/29/2026

Last week, we gathered for Community Celebration, an evening dedicated to honoring the incredible educators, mentors, graduates, alumni, residents, fellows, and supporters who make up The Educator Academy community.

Together, we celebrated achievements, reflected on another year of growth, and recognized the people whose dedication is helping strengthen schools and communities across Kansas City.

Congratulations to our 2026 award recipients:

Resident of the Year: Darin Kennedy
Fellow of the Year: Cedric Townsend, Sr.
Mentor Teachers of the Year: Vincent Gunnels and Dawn Else (not pictured)

Core Value Award Recipients:
Justice Award: Ashli Carter
Community Award: Lauren Lewis
Growth Award: Charmain Ridgnal-Wright
Excellence Award: Kayla Williams
Love Award: Ryan Klassen (not pictured)

Thank you to everyone who is part of this community. Your commitment to students, schools, and one another is what makes this work possible.

05/26/2026

Today’s the last day to apply to join our 2026-2027 cohorts!

If teaching is on your heart, don’t let this pass you by.

Apply now → educator-academy.org/apply

05/20/2026

All hands are on deck preparing to celebrate our EA community tomorrow night! Regan, our operations coordinator, is currently putting together centerpieces to make this year's event extra special. We can't wait to see you all there!

05/08/2026

As we wrap up Teacher Appreciation Week, we also want to give a huge shoutout to the team behind the scenes at The Educator Academy.

Every day, our staff shows up for teachers in big and small ways through coaching, encouraging, problem-solving, answering questions, celebrating wins, and walking alongside educators through the challenges of the classroom.

Supporting teachers is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re grateful for a team that pours so much care into this work and this community.

Here’s to the people helping teachers grow, lead, and stay in the profession. We see you, and we appreciate you.

05/04/2026

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

05/01/2026

DEADLINE EXTENDED!

You now have until May 8 to apply for The EA’s Residency and Fellows Pathways! Earn your teacher certification with any bachelor’s degree.

Learn more and apply: educator-academy.org/start-teaching

04/30/2026

We see the heart, creativity, and commitment teachers bring to their classrooms every day.

Through our partnership with KSHB 41 for One Class at a Time, we have the chance to celebrate that impact in a tangible way.

One outstanding teacher will be selected this spring to receive a $500 gift card to further enrich their students’ learning experience.

Nominate a teacher who inspires you:
https://www.kshb.com/news/one-class-at-a-time

04/27/2026

Kansas City teachers show up for their students every single day. Now it’s our turn to show up for them.

Through One Class at a Time with KSHB 41, one teacher will be selected this spring to receive a $500 gift card to support their classroom.

Parents, students, administrators - anyone can submit a nomination.

Help us recognize a teacher making a difference: https://www.kshb.com/news/one-class-at-a-time

04/24/2026

Every day across Kansas City, teachers go above and beyond for their students, often using their own money to create meaningful learning experiences.

That’s why we’re proud to partner with KSHB 41 for One Class at a Time.

One outstanding teacher will win $500 to help enrich their classroom.

Know a teacher who deserves it? Nominate them here:

Every day in the Kansas City metro, school teachers go above and beyond to make learning an amazing experience for our youth. Many of them do it at their own financial expense. For this reason, KSHB 41 is partnering with The Educator Academy for One Class at a Time 2026. One Class at a Time aims to....

04/23/2026

Another behind-the-scenes look and a huge thank you to Brookside Charter School and KSHB 41 for helping us capture what our EA teachers do best! Look out for us on your TV screen to catch a peek at the real impact happening in classrooms every day.

A special shout-out to our EA teachers who participated and to Celia Bigger, who took on a speaking role in our commercial. Thank you! ❤️