Tommy Bender — National Council of Teachers of English 2022 High School Teacher of Excellence, and Nebraska English Language Arts Council 2022-23 English Teacher of the Year

Background

Tommy Bender, Southeast High School English teacher, was recently honored with two awards during the 36th Annual Plum Creek Literacy Festival. Bender was named 2022 High School Teacher of Excellence by the National Council of Teachers of English, and Nebraska English Language Arts Council 2022-2023 English Teacher of the Year.

Explanation

Southeast High School English teacher Tommy Bender has received two awards for excellence in teaching.

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) named Bender a 2022 High School Teacher of Excellence. He was also designated as the 2022-2023 English Teacher of the Year by the Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC). Bender was nominated by Ann Quinlan of Lincoln. She’s a former Southeast High School English Department Chair.

Quinlan wrote in her nomination letter: “Tommy Bender has dedicated his career to helping students become more than they thought they could be. From teaching required Oral Communications classes to freshmen who may be anxious about presenting their first speech, to working with varsity level speech teams that compete nationally and achieve exceptional honors, Tommy shows interest, enthusiasm and support for all students.”

Proposal

That the Lincoln Board of Education adopt the following resolution:

WHEREAS, Tommy Bender, Southeast High School English teacher Tommy Bender has received two awards for demonstrating excellence in teaching; and

WHEREAS, Tommy Bender successfully facilitates learning and supports student growth by cultivating a positive classroom culture; and

WHEREAS, Tommy Bender has dedicated his career to helping students overcome their fears in oral communications and unlocking their potential to reach great heights including national speech competition; and

WHEREAS, Tommy Bender is widely admired and respected among his peers in Lincoln Public Schools, in the State of Nebraska, and across the United States;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Lincoln Board of Education does hereby congratulate Tommy Bender for being named the 2022 High School Teacher of Excellence by the National Council of Teachers of English, and Nebraska English Language Arts Council 2022-2023 English Teacher of the Year.

Updated December 7, 2022