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Social studies teacher known for ‘tough love’ is Utah’s 2026 Teacher of the Year

Joanna Andres was presented with a $10,000 check from the Utah State Board of Education on Thursday evening.

(Utah State Board of Education) Joanna Andres, a social studies teacher at Park City High School, was selected as the 2026 Utah Teacher of the Year during a banquet held at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.

At Park City High School, social studies teacher Joanna Andres is known for her high expectations and “tough love” approach that students have come to respect.

It’s those qualities that helped earn her the title of 2026 Utah Teacher of the Year. Andres was honored with award and $10,000 check during a celebratory banquet at the Little America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City on Thursday evening.

Andres was picked from a pool of five finalists. Her win was determined by a committee including representatives from the Utah State Board of Education and the Utah Education Association.

The four other finalists who each received a $2,000 prize are:

  • Aaron Andersen, a Chinese language and U.S. History teacher at Skyridge High School in the Alpine School District.
  • Markay Anderson, an elementary school teacher at Ashley Elementary in the Uintah School District.
  • Joseph Kozlowski, an elementary school teacher at Edith Bowen Laboratory School, a public charter school on Utah State University’s campus in Logan.
  • Aston (Rai) Pattison, a special education teacher at Kearns Junior High School in the Granite School District.

    • “Joanna embodies the very best of our profession — innovation, empathy, excellence, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every student,” Park City School District Superintendent Lyndsay Huntsman said in a statement Friday. “Her work has transformed classrooms, inspired colleagues, and elevated the learning experience for countless young people.”

    Educators are considered for the annual honor if they have shown “exceptional dedication” and have made a “profound impact on the lives of their students and communities,” according to a July USBE news release.

    Andres teaches advance placement and concurrent enrollment U.S. Government & Politics.

    Last school year, she made Park City School District history as the first teacher ever to receive both the Excellent Educator Award, as voted on by her colleagues, and the Sarah and Stephen Doilney Award, as chosen by the high school’s graduating senior class.

    Before teaching at Park City High School, she designed and implemented the first data-driven Response to Intervention program at the Weilenmann School of Discovery, a K-8 public charter in nearby Summit Park.

    Andres also serves as the chair of the high school’s social studies department and AP department, as well as a mentor to new and experienced educators.

    As Utah’s winner, she will now advance to a national competition with other states’ teachers of the year. The award also offers a number of state and national leadership opportunities.