2022 Red Stick Mom Teacher of the Year Finalists!

Disclosure :: Our 2022 Teacher of the Year campaign is sponsored by our partners at Children’s Hospital New Orleans.

2022 Red Stick Mom Teacher of the Year Finalists!

We received some amazing nominees for our Red Stick Mom Teacher of the Year campaign … nominated by parents, students, colleagues, neighbors, and friends … all who have made a difference in the lives of students and who motivate and inspire those around them. Selecting the top 10 finalists from all of the nominations proved to be a very difficult task.

A team of objective judges will determine the Red Stick Mom Teacher of the Year from the 10 finalists below, and the winner will be announced on Monday, May 2nd!

Top 10 Finalists

Amy Pickenheim – Sacred Heart School, Diocese of Baton Rouge

{Nominated by: Katie Potts} Ms. Pickenheim is an outstanding Kindergarten teacher! She loves her Kindergarteners and they love her! She has the perfect personality to work with five and six year olds, with lots of patience, kindness, and an excellent sense of humor. I can’t express how grateful I am for the amount of academic and personal growth Ms. Pickenheim has facilitated for our daughter this year. She goes above and beyond, works with the kids one-on-one, holds them to high standards but always shows them grace and love. Joy radiates from Ms. Pickenheim, and no one knows how to have as much fun as she does! We are so lucky to have had such a great experience this year with such an excellent educator!

Cassie Mire – Zachary Community Schools

{Nominated by: Ella Mire} She is a selfless person. She loves her students like they are her own. Teaching children with different disabilities is not an easy feat yet, she makes it seem so easy. I would love to be a teacher just like my momma when I grow up!

Shani Brown – Mayfair Lab – EBR

{Nominated by: D’Andra Odom} Mrs. Brown is a truly gifted educator. She is committed to her students and encompasses everything a parent could ask for in a teacher. She is stern, yet effective. And the kids absolutely love her.

Dr. Elizabeth Lewis – Episcopal School of Baton Rouge

{Nominated by: Andrea Vidrine} Her creativity, love of teaching and taking concepts to the next level, have her students and other faculty members begging for more. She is truly amazing in every way and is an inspiration and gift to Episcopal. We are absolutely the luckiest school to have her.

Mikaela Johnson – Basis Mid City EBR

{Nominated by: Maribel Hernandez} She has stood out of among all the teachers I’ve met during the past 8 years because of her patience and positivity. I’ve seen my middle child grow so much and learned so much with her help and Mrs. Johnson’s help too. She tries to answer asap any question a parent has and she tries to accommodate the children’s needs.

Trichia Landry – LSU University Lab School

{Nominated by: Megan Jenny} Mrs. Landry is a fantastic teacher. She loves her students and is willing to fight for them. For example, she has gone to bat for my daughter following her dyslexia diagnosis to make sure that my daughter will receive appropriate services and accommodations in the next grade level. Mrs. Landry does an awesome job of keeping parents engaged with constant communication and near-daily posts on the classroom Facebook. I never have to ask what’s going on in the classroom because she keeps all parents in the loop! Mrs. Landry makes learning interactive. My daughter goes to school excited about special projects and fun-themed days, like March Madness classroom review. She gives great feedback that both builds students up and also gives them ways to improve. Her students learn so much about reading, math, science, and social studies, it’s amazing! But they also learn about celebrating differences, cheering each other on, and how to be kind to each other. Mrs. Landry works hard, and deserves to win this prize!

Shedonna Martin-Mason – Basis Baton Rouge MidCity Primary/East Baton Rouge Parish

{Nominated by: Ifeoluwa Stowe} She is an excellent teacher; she is able to break down concepts into simpler structures that are easy for the students to understand. She goes over and beyond to watch out for students and make sure they are at their best. Beyond academics, she instills values in them that make them responsible children.

Trudy Huffty – WHAM – EBR

{Nominated by: Ashley Funchess} Mrs. Huffty has been such an amazing teacher. She truly loves and cares for her students in all aspects. My daughter has Cystic Fibrosis & Mrs. Huffty has been truly wonderful in helping her to feel “normal” in her first year of school. I haven’t met a more dedicated & deserving teacher! We were truly blessed to have been placed in her class this year!

Katie Prescott – Live Oak High – Livingston Parish

{Nominated by: Beth Jones } She reaches young females to have confidence in themselves and their actions. She has high expectations for them no matter what they are involved in. She works hard to make sure they do the right thing no matter who is watching. She truly teaches students to be good to others and make a difference in our community.

Kristian Vukojevic – Our Lady of Mercy School

{Nominated by: Patricia Odom and Yuri Vukojevic} Kristian deserves to be teacher of the year because she truly loves her students and being their teacher. She’s extremely passionate about teaching young kids and opening up their worlds to new and exciting possibilities. She puts in a ton of preparation and work for each day, each lesson, and activity that she has for her students. She brings a lot of her work home so it’s as of her job is 24/7, all while juggling taking care of a one year old boy and 34 year old husband. She can do it all! She works herself to the bone because she has the will power and determination to be the best. Anything short of that is not acceptable for her. She wants to give her students the best education possible, as if they were her own kids. It’s very easy to see the love and passion her students have for her and the job she does. They constantly show appreciation with little gifts, kind words and the love they have for her. I wish more teachers were like Kristian, the world would be a better place. Kristian deserves this award because she is the teacher and mom of the year!

Not only will the winner be crowned the 2022 Red Stick Mom Teacher of the Year, but s/he will also win the fabulous prize package giveaway valued at ~$900 including: