The LINK nky Educator of the Week contest recognizes and celebrates the incredible educators who go above and beyond for Northern Kentucky students every day.
Each week, we will choose three nominees who have made an impact on their community and who represent a diverse mix of roles, grade levels, subject areas, school types and geographic locations.
LINK nky’s Educator of the Week is sponsored by Gateway Community & Technical College. Each weekly winner will advance to the Educator of the Semester contest, where readers will vote to select one outstanding educator to receive a $100 gift card from Gateway to help purchase classroom supplies, decorations and other school essentials.
Click here for a full list of official rules and to nominate an educator.
The Educators
Educator: Leah Baioni
Role: Teacher at Turkey Foot Middle School
Nominators: Colin Blackson; Austin Stainforth; Andrew Nicolaou
Why Baioni’s students nominated her:
Colin Blackson: I would like to nominate Mrs. Baioni because she is very kind. Mrs. Baioni is always willing to help when students need it. She is very welcoming to all students no matter their personality. She always encourages us to do our best on all schoolwork. She helps us become more mature throughout the year..
Austin Stainforth: I would like to nominate my language arts teacher (Leah Baioni ) because she is always willing to help. She is a good teacher because she likes to talk and have fun with students, but then when it is time to be serious, she helps us get there. In her class, she helps us by always getting us ready for KSA. In the students’ opinion, this helps really much with our grades and test scores. She is always helping us climb up the stairs to that number one spot.
Andrew Nicolaou: She has been the best teacher all year and has been nice to everyone. She lets us read very good books. She makes us feel special and welcome in her classroom. She is very encouraging. She works very hard to make us safe. She is one of the best teachers I have ever had.
Educator: Jonah Smith
Role: Teacher at Cline Elementary and PE Teacher at Campbell County
Nominator: Jana Smith
Why Jana nominated Jonah:
Mr. Smith is a hard-working PE teacher who got his educational start at Gateway College. He earned his Associate degree at Gateway, then completed his studies at NKU, finishing his requirements during the pandemic and virtual school. Teaching PE virtually is not an easy task. Jonah has gone on to earn a master’s degree in teaching and learning from Midway College.
Mr. Smith wears many hats at Cline Elementary School. Literally. He has a collection of fun hats he wears during car rider duties that make coming to school fun for students. He is always looking for ways to improve PE instruction for all skill levels. Jonah loves his job, and it all started at Gateway College, the sponsor of this recognition.
PE equipment gets used by the entire school and wears out from wear and tear. This award would allow him to purchase much-needed PE equipment.
Educator: David Meyers
Role: Teacher at Beechwood High School
Nominator: Michael Brinkman
Why Brinkman nominated Meyers:
I am excited to be nominating David Meyers. When I consider all of the strengths this award hopes to recognize, Dave embodies all of them.
As a teacher, Dave holds his students to the academic rigor we expect here at Beechwood. He truly believes his students are capable of giving and achieving their best. And when this may prove difficult for them, he offers them the necessary support they need. Each student is recognized daily, whether it be when they walk through the door or when he calls on them in class. Mr. Meyers truly cares about all of his students.
As a colleague, Dave garners the respect of all of his peers – truly. There isn’t a staff member who doesn’t appreciate Dave’s integrity, his strong sense of what is right and what is wrong, and the overall respect he gives to all of his colleagues. He is a teacher who truly sets an example for all of us to follow. And I would be remiss not to mention he has a wicked sense of humor, which is what all of us appreciate most!
Dave Meyers is a great choice for this recognition, and it is a reminder to all of us that consistent and humble work cannot be underestimated or undervalued.
Now it’s time to vote
Voting closes at 3 p.m. on Sept. 28.
Vote as often as you like! There’s no limit to how many times you can show support for your favorite educator during the week.
Share the voting link with friends, family, students and coworkers — the more people who know about your nominee, the more votes they can earn!
LINK nky encourages friendly competition and community spirit. We want to see entire classrooms, schools and neighborhoods rally behind their favorite educators.
