Nimmer ’91 Named 2015 National Teacher of the Year Finalist

Kathy Nimmer ’91, Indiana’s 2015 Teacher of the Year, has been named as one of four finalists for the 2015 National Teacher of the Year Award.

Nimmer and the other three finalists were selected by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Nimmer will travel to Washington, D.C. in March to be interviewed for the award; the winner will be announced in April. If chosen, she will spend the next year traveling the country advocating on behalf of education and teachers everywhere.

Nimmer, who is blind, teaches English and creative writing at William Henry Harrison High School in Lafayette, Indiana. Overcoming the challenges of her blindness and realizing her dream of teaching, Nimmer has helped many of her students realize their own dreams as well.

“When I am being an ‘outstanding teacher,’ I am completely unaware of it,” Nimmer said, in her philosophy of teaching. “At those times, my consuming focus is in the exultant adventure that is anchored in a good lesson, presented with passion, knowledge, and love for students and the subject matter.”

The National Teacher of the Year program identifies exceptional teachers in the country, recognizes their effective work in the classroom, amplifies their voices, and empowers them to participate in policy discussions at the state and national levels.

Watch the video of Nimmer’s classroom interactions with students.