At LINK nky, we believe that educators – whether they are teachers or principals, tutors or superintendents – are at the heart of our community’s success. The Educator of the Week contest is our way of recognizing and celebrating 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.
Click here for a full list of official rules and to nominate an educator.
The Educators
Educator: Staci Paff
Role: Teacher at Bellevue High School
Nominator: Marissa Handley
Why Handley nominated Paff:
Staci Paff is an exceptional educator whose dedication, compassion, and work ethic make her truly deserving of being recognized as Educator of the Week. Every day, she brings a level of commitment to her students that goes far beyond basic expectations. Her hard-working nature is evident in the time and energy she invests in planning, supporting individual student needs, and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed.
What sets Staci apart is not just how much she works, but how deeply she cares. She approaches each student with kindness, patience, and understanding, creating an environment where children feel safe, valued, and encouraged. Her genuine concern for her students’ well-being allows her to connect with them on a personal level, building trust and confidence that positively impacts both their academic performance and emotional growth.
Staci consistently goes the extra mile to make learning engaging and meaningful. Whether she is staying late for extracurricular activities, offering words of encouragement during a tough day, or celebrating her students’ successes, she demonstrates an unwavering belief in their potential. Her kindness is not just seen in big gestures, but in the small, everyday moments that make a lasting difference in a child’s life.
Colleagues and students alike recognize Staci as someone who leads by example. Her positive attitude, strong work ethic, and willingness to support others contribute to a stronger school community. She embodies the qualities that define an outstanding educator: dedication, empathy, and a true passion for helping children grow.
For all of these reasons, Staci Paff is more than deserving of the title Educator of the Week. Her impact reaches far beyond the classroom, shaping the lives of her students in meaningful and lasting ways.
Educator: Jessica Cochran
Role: Teacher at Newport Intermediate School
Nominator: Lauren Schwierjohann
Why Schwierjohann nominated Cochran:
Ms. Cochran is an amazing professional and teacher. She works hard to build relationships with students that stretch beyond the classroom environment and classroom walls.
Ms. Cochran strives to empower students to preform at their best and meet their highest potential through any challenge. She is currently challenging the students in their demonstrations of their learning by implementing a Wax Museum at our school. Students were assigned an important figure, completed research, created a tri-fold poster, wrote a speech, and will dress as their figure for the museum. Not only has she challenged the students to take on this task, she has made them believe in their ability to do so and proven to them how capable they are. Staff and students enjoy being part of her classroom environment because she brings a light and energy to the classroom. Ms. Cochran works hard to collaborate and communicate with others to ensure the needs of all students are being met in her classroom. I am so thankful to work beside an amazing professional and love watching the light she brings to the classroom.
Educator: Victoria Lickert
Role: Teacher at Glenn O Swing Elementary
Nominator: Regina Watts
Why Herald nominated Young:
Victoria is an amazing Instructional assistant who loves her job. She works with students with intellectual developmental disabilities. She has worked with several teachers in the classroom and they look to her for guidance with students Vicki has previously worked with. She is also cheerleading coach for Bengal Tigers, GOS Wildcats, Girls on the Run at Glenn O’Swing, and Cheerleading Coach Holmes Middle School.
Her most important role as an educator is teaching her own children. She is the mother of 3 and 1 blended. As her mother, I am very proud and impressed with her compassion and patience she has for her students. To see the smile on a students face when the see Ms. Vicki makes my heart swell. The smile she has when one of her kids (students) see her out in the community is priceless.
Now it’s time to vote
Voting opens at 3 p.m. on Mondays and closes at 3 p.m. the following Monday. Winners will be announced on Tuesday after voting has ended.
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.