Indianapolis area finalists finish as runners up for state teacher of the year

Kathy Nimmer, a high school English Teacher in Tippecanoe schools in Lafayette, was named Indiana’s Teacher of the Year today.

Two Indianapolis area teachers — Tina Ahlgren of Indianapolis Public Schools and Matthew Ehresman of Center Grove — were runners up.

Kathy Nimmer

“I am incredibly excited to honor Kathy Nimmer today,” Ritz said in a statement. “Through her career, Kathy has been an inspiration to both her students and fellow educators as she has demonstrated how to overcome adversity every day.  Inspired by educators that helped her overcome her own loss of sight, she has dedicated her life to helping her own students overcome their own difficulties.”

According to the statement, Nimmer has a bachelors degree in English Education from Trinity Christian College and a Masters degree in English from Purdue University.

Ahlgren won two major teaching honors earlier this year. She was named IPS teacher of the year in June and a month earlier was one of four teachers awarded $25,000 as part of the inaugural Hubbard Life-Changing Teacher Awards.