Wiscasset Elementary School Teacher Becky Hallowell Named 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Educate Maine have named Wiscasset Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Becky Hallowell as Maine's 2025 Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made during a surprise ceremony Thursday with students and educators at Hallowell's school in Wiscasset.

"The Maine Teacher of the Year program recognizes exemplary educators in our state and provides a platform for highlighting the work of Maine's public schools," Maine Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin said. "As an innovative educator who prioritizes engaging, projects-based learning for her students, Becky Hallowell will bring valuable perspective to this role. Her commitment to learning-both inside and outside of the traditional classroom-makes her an ideal pick for 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year."

Hallowell's Teacher of the Year journey began in May when she was named the 2024 Lincoln County Teacher of the Year. Along with 15 other County Teachers of the Year, Hallowell was selected from a pool of hundreds of teachers who were nominated. In August, she was named one of four state finalistsbefore being selected as the 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year.

Becky Hallowell teaches fourth-grade students at Wiscasset Elementary School on the bank of the Sheepscot River in Wiscasset, Maine. Hallowell earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maine at Farmington in 1994 and then received her Master of Science in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern Maine in 2011. She is the 2024 Lincoln County Teacher of the Year. Hallowell embraces a pedagogy that honors nature and place-based learning, establishing connections between students and the local, state, and global community. She believes learning is more powerful when linked to content that students personally value and find meaningful as they engage in project-based learning. While she finds great joy in supporting student learning, Hallowell commits to her own learning and that of her colleagues both as a mentor and a mentor trainer. She has teamed with the Maine Math and Science Alliance in a research project connecting place-based learning and science sense-making, presenting her work to other educators at conferences. Hallowell also collaborated with her teaching partner and a University of Maine at Farmington professor to connect preservice teachers with fourth-grade students to discuss literature. She presented this work with her partners at the National Council for Teachers of English conference in 2023. Hallowell enjoys exploring new trails in her free time, often finding a lesson in a unique mushroom or rock formation. She lives in Whitefield with her husband, three sons, and pesky kitty.

"Teachers have the most important job of guiding students to become the best possible versions of themselves," said 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year Becky Hallowell. "Our children are Maine's most valuable resource, and, as Maine Teacher of the Year, I look forward to celebrating the dedicated, creative, and compassionate teachers who show up for Maine children every day."

The Teacher of the Year Program is a year-long process that involves educator portfolio and resume submissions, interviews, oral presentations, and classroom visits made by a selection panel comprised of State Board of Education members, school administrators, Maine Department of Education staff, legacy Teachers of the Year, and other Maine business partners. Hallowell was nominated for the honor by her teaching colleague, Neera Harmon.

"Educate Maine is thrilled to congratulate Becky Hallowell on being named the 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year. Her dedication to place-based learning and her commitment to fostering meaningful student connections are inspiring, and we look forward to supporting her as she embarks on this exciting journey," said Dr. Jason Judd, Executive Director of Educate Maine.

As the 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year, Hallowell will spend her year of service advocating for students and teachers and speaking to the importance of education in preparing Maine students for the future.  She will also represent Maine in the National Teacher of the Year program.

According to 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard, "Becky is about to embark on the professional journey of a lifetime. It will be a year of professional learning, educational advocacy, and celebration of all of the amazing teaching and learning happening in schools in Maine and across the nation. Becky's passion for and leadership in outdoor education positions her perfectly to be a leader in this national cohort of exceptional educators."

"On behalf of the entire Wiscasset schools community, I want to express our immense pride and gratitude that Becky Hallowell has been named Maine Teacher of the Year for 2025!" said Kim Andersson, Wiscasset School Department Superintendent of Schools. "This comes as no surprise to us; Becky is an innovative outdoor educator whose love of life and learning inspires and elevates everyone around her. Her work fosters care and knowledge about the environment and teaches every student the importance of their impact on the world around them. It's truly remarkable, and so is Becky!"

The Maine Teacher of the Year program is administered by Educate Maine, a business-led advocacy organization, in partnership with the Maine Department of Education, the Maine State Board of Education, and the Maine County and State Teachers and County of the Year Association (MCSTOYA). Funding for the program is generously provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Dead River, Geiger, Hannaford, Maine Lottery, the Silvernail Family, and Unum.

Read an article about a day at Wiscasset Elementary School in Becky Hallowell's classroom.

For more information about the Maine Teacher of the Year program, visit http://www.mainetoy.org.

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