The 2019 Minnesota Teacher of the Year award was presented Sunday to a South St. Paul teacher, a first for the district.
Jessica Davis, a math teacher at South St. Paul Secondary School, is the 55th recipient of the award given by Education Minnesota, the state teachers’ union.
“Jess is modeling for students that equity needs to be deliberate and intentional,” the 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Kelly Holstine, said Sunday when announcing the winner. Davis was picked from a field of nine finalists.
In her acceptance speech, Davis thanked those who’d encouraged her, including her mother, who was an elementary school teacher. She said her mom’s initial reaction to her decision to teach was to sigh heavily and say, “Oh, Jess, I don’t know if you can tolerate the politics of education.” Davis paused and said, “You were right, mom.”
Davis advocates for students of color to be represented in the community and has become known for her hashtag “EveryVoiceMatters” on social media.
She reiterated this point Sunday.
“We must continue to advocate for ourselves now more than ever,” she said. “We have all been shown by our student leaders that when we give energy to a collective voice that we can secure the gains that benefit all, most importantly our students. Every voice matters.”
Davis has been teaching since 2006, first at Harding High School in St. Paul and since 2009 at South St. Paul. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State, Mankato, and a master’s degree from Hamline University.
She teaches math to juniors and seniors, and leads a computer science class that gives students hands-on experience. She also advises an African-American student organization, and has been active in helping students of color to see their potential and to connect them with professionals of color.
An independent selection committee representing Minnesota leaders in education, business and government chooses the Minnesota Teacher of the Year from individuals who are nominated and who then choose to become a candidate.
Education Minnesota, the 86,000-member statewide educators union, organizes and underwrites the Teacher of the Year program. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers and Adult Basic Education teachers from public or private schools.