One of McDonald’s Outstanding Educator Award winners teaches first grade at Hawthorne Elementary. Out of 50 winners in the Big Mo area, Laura Stutzman was chosen among 1,700 submissions covering a wide swath of midwest locations that include Quincy and Hannibal and most of the rest of Missouri.
“This award was given based on student nominations and I am thankful that we have a community that supports our educators,” Meghan Davis, Hawthorne Principal, said. “Mrs. Stutzman is a prime example of the many great teachers we have in the Keokuk Community School District.”
On Nov. 7, Emily Mast, owner of the Keokuk McDonald’s, presented Stutzman with an official certificate, a $100 Visa gift card, a “Best Teacher Ever” mug, and McDonald’s food coupons to pay it forward to her students.
Stutzman’s students were very excited for their teacher to be honored during the presentation.
“This is so great and I get to present this award two more times today locally,” Mast said. Mast said out of the 50 winners chosen from the 1,700 submissions in the Big Mo area, there were two other local winners, including Cassandra Dietrich from Hamilton High School and Stacie Sheppard from Keokuk Catholic St. Vincent’s.
Nominations were open from Aug. 28 to Sept. 15., 2023, and applicants had to teach grades kindergarten through twelfth. Winners were selected by the local McDonald’s restaurants.