When Mandy Vance walked into the Boring Middle School gymnasium on a sunny day last June, she thought she was making a quick detour with a colleague who needed something from her classroom. Instead, it was just the first celebrated stop on a year-long journey that this seasoned science, wellness and leadership instructor has taken to all corners of Oregon and all the way to the nation’s capital, lifting her voice on behalf of educators, students and public schools.
On June 23, 2023, Mandy learned she had been named one of 17 Regional Teachers of the Year and one of four finalists for Oregon Teacher of the Year – news she had to keep quiet until a public celebration in September. When she earned the top state honor for educators on Oct. 5, Mandy was thrust further into the limelight. Since then, she’s been a sought-after speaker, serving as a keynoter for gatherings of major Oregon education organizations, as well as alumni events at her alma maters, Franklin High School in Portland, and Corban University in Salem. She’s also spoken to educators-to-be in teacher preparation programs across the state. Just last month, Mandy spent an unforgettable week in Washington, D.C. with her Teacher of the Year peers, meeting with state and national leaders, including U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer. She even dined with the president and first lady at the White House. Her summer will be a blur of even more activity, including an appearance in the Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade and a trip to NASA’s Space Camp.
Though being Oregon Teacher of the Year frequently has taken her away from her classroom and the students she loves, Mandy has used her new platform to elevate conversations about policy and promote changes to better support teachers and students. And she has no plans to stop her advocacy once she returns to the classroom full time.
We asked Mandy to share a few thoughts on her experience and learnings as Oregon Teacher of the Year.
We’ve heard you mention that becoming Oregon Teacher of the Year has been “life changing.” Please share a little more about your learnings and takeaways from this year.
As the 2024 Oregon Teacher of the Year I have been so fortunate to participate in many professional development opportunities all over our state and nation thanks to the Council of Chief State School Officers [sponsor of the National Teacher of the Year program]. Prior to stepping into this role, I did not understand how all the educational moving parts work together. How do unions, school boards, education service districts, the Department of Education, our local and national policymakers and department heads all interact and make decisions? What I’ve found is that there are often silos; valuable resources and ideas are in the works, if only our lines of communication were better. In meeting with the Department of Education while in D.C., it was clear to many of us that we need to do more to facilitate the exchange of these ideas and resources.
In seeing this, many of our State Teachers of the Year (STOYs) have formed committees to change this process. I, for example, now serve on a Rural Schools Advisory team that is composed of STOYs from all over our nation. Our hope is to figure out how to streamline grant access and programs that support these communities, and advocate directly on their behalf.
Furthermore, being in this role has allowed me to see how other states recruit and retain educators and how they ensure that “teacher voice” is present in all rooms where decisions are made about education. In May 2024 our STOYs met with Secretary Cardona and his colleagues at the U.S. Department of Education to voice our concerns, ask questions, advocate and learn about what is being done to address our teacher shortage. This has opened the door for me and many others to continue these conversations and advise policymakers at the national level. With every speaking opportunity I am given around our state (and there are many) I am using this opportunity to inspire hope and elevate this profession. Teaching is not just a job; it is also a calling.
What we can learn from others will help us to shape our policies moving forward. For example, each of our 19 ESDs selects a Regional Teacher of the Year; I am currently working with policymakers to create an advisory council made up of these teachers to ensure that teacher voice is heard across our state in every room where policymakers are impacting education. This is a successful model used by many states across the U.S. I may only be the Oregon Teacher of the Year for 2024, but my advocacy work is just getting started. I see this year as my “knowledge year”; I plan to enter as many conversations as I can so that in years to come, I am ready to influence and make the changes that are needed for both students and teachers across our state.
What was it like to be feted at a State Dinner at the White House?
There are no words to describe how dazzling this experience was for all the State Teachers of the Year. It felt like being in a dream. From the orchestra lining the staircase and red carpet, to the ornate decor, to the personalized messages from our students waiting for us on our seats, it was truly a highlight of my life and a night I will never forget. Dr. Biden, 2024 National Teacher of the Year Missy Testerman, Secretary Cardona and President Biden spoke words of encouragement that every teacher needs and deserves to hear. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to represent our incredible Oregon teachers and students!
Your journey to Teacher of the Year started with a nomination from two of your students. What would you like to say to them, and to all of your other students, about their role in your life?
Dear Torrin and Henry and all my Oregon Trail students,
I believe that with my life I have been called to make a difference in this world. Your nomination has changed my life forever. Before being given this opportunity I was content with advocating within our school and the walls of our classroom. Creating safe and inclusive spaces for you, where you could become the best version of yourselves was my life’s work and before this opportunity, that truly would have always been enough. While I will continue to do this for each student in my care, I now know that with the knowledge and tools I have been given I have a responsibility and opportunity to spread that light all over Oregon, and that is exactly what I intend to do. THANK YOU for choosing me and for believing in me. YOU are my teachers and I carry your stories and many others with me through every door I enter and into every advocacy opportunity I have. YOU are the reason I am a good teacher.
Your #1 Fan,
Mrs. Vance
NOTE: One of Mandy’s first acts after becoming Teacher of the Year was to use her prize money to start a “Grow Your Own Aspiring Educators” scholarship fund in the Oregon Trail School District. The fund already is large enough to award $1,000 scholarships to four 2024 Sandy High School graduates who aspire to become teachers. To learn more about supporting this scholarship fund, please contact Garth Guibord, Oregon Trail School District communications director, at garth.guibord@ortrail.k12.or.us.
