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: Tara Connley
Role: Teacher at Turkey Foot Middle School
Nominators: Charlie Jordan
Why Jordan nominated Connley:
I am nominating Ms. Connley because she is very helpful with math! She teaches math in very fun and engaging ways. I look forward to going to math class every day!
She is very sweet and funny. She has made this change to middle school much easier for me, and I wish she would teach 7th and 8th grade!!
Educator: Kevin Dailey
Role: Teacher at Ballyshannon Middle School
Nominator: Sara Fay
Why Fay nominated Dailey:
I am honored to nominate my colleague and friend, Kevin Dailey, for Educator of the Week.
I have the privilege of working in the same hallway as Kevin every day at Ballyshannon Middle School, and I also serve alongside him on the Boone County Education Association Executive Council. Because of that, I have the opportunity to see firsthand the kind of teacher and person Kevin is—not just the version of him that people see when he receives an award or recognition.
Kevin is an exceptional teacher who genuinely cares about his students and their success. He brings passion, energy, and purpose to his classroom, and it is clear that teaching is much more than a job to him. He wants his students to think critically, understand the world around them, and know that their voices matter.
But what makes Kevin especially deserving of Teacher of the Week is the way he extends that same passion and advocacy to his fellow educators. Through his work with the Boone County Education Association, Kevin consistently stands up for teachers and makes sure their voices are heard. He understands the challenges educators face, and he isn’t afraid to speak up when something isn’t right. He advocates because he genuinely believes teachers deserve respect, a voice, and someone willing to stand beside them.
I have watched Kevin give his time and energy not only to his students, but also to his colleagues and our profession. He is the person who will show up, listen, encourage others, and speak up when it matters. Kevin has already earned tremendous recognition for his teaching, but I believe what makes him truly special is that he never stops using his voice and his talents to lift up the people around him.
He is an outstanding teacher, a dedicated colleague, and a fierce advocate for educators. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of being named Educator of the Week.
Read more about why Dailey was nominated here
Working in the same hallway as Kevin, I get to see the little things that probably never make it into an award nomination: the conversations with students, the support he gives colleagues, the laughter, the hard work, and the countless ways he makes our school a better place.
Educator: Brooke Riesenbeck
Role: Teacher at Woodfill Elementary in Fort Thomas Independent School District
Nominator: Allyson Jones
Why Jones nominated Riesenbeck:
I would like to nominate an incredible Teaching Assistant for Educator of the Week. Brooke Riesenbeck shows dedication to our elementary students, and this goes far beyond simply helping in the classroom. She brings patience, kindness, encouragement, and genuine care to everything she does.
She is always willing to step in and help wherever she is needed. Her amazing work ethic and positive attitude make such a difference for both students and staff. She takes the time to truly understand each child, offering support, reassurance, and encouragement when students need it most.
What makes this educator so special is her heart. She genuinely cares about all of the children she works with at Woodfill and wants every student and teacher to feel supported, valued, and capable. Her compassion shines through in the way she interacts with students each day.
She is an essential part of Fort Thomas in general, and she makes a positive impact. Her hard work, kindness, and true care for our students makes her incredibly deserving of the Educator of the Week recognition. We are so fortunate to have her as a Woodfill Wildcat!
Now it’s time to vote
Voting closes at 3 p.m. on Oct. 5.
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.
