Four finalists selected for New Hampshire’s 2024 Teacher of the Year

CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Teacher of the Year selection committee is pleased to announce the four finalists for New Hampshire’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. 
 
The finalists are: 

• Ritu Budakoti is an eighth-grade science teacher at Keene Middle School in Keene. She has been teaching for 11 years. “I want to share the joy and spark of this noble profession with others,” said Budakoti.
• Sean Donahue is a sixth-grade mathematics teacher at McKelvie Intermediate School in Bedford. He has been teaching for 15 years. “Trust us, as highly educated professionals, to deliver content every day in the same way we champion for the success of every student,” said Donahue.
• Elizabeth Duclos is a third-grade elementary teacher at Pembroke Hill School in Pembroke. She has been teaching for 16 years. “Each year, with each new class, I work to create communities of learning where children are respected and loved,” said Duclos.
• Gregory Parker is a grade 9-12 interventionist teacher at Manchester Memorial High School in Manchester. He has been teaching for eight years. “Students are successful in my class when they start to find that spark of learning,” said Parker.

“These educators represent the heart and soul of teaching, and we are proud of their many contributions to the field. We are excited to recognize their talent, leadership and commitment to so many students throughout the state,” said Christine Brennan, deputy commissioner and member of the Teacher of the Year Selection Committee. “These four finalists are champions in education.”
 
The Teacher of the Year Selection Committee will now schedule visits to observe each of the finalists in their classroom environment. An award winner will be announced in October.
 
“New Hampshire’s Teacher of the Year program garnered a record number of nominees this year, which underscores the many exceptional teachers working here in the Granite State. With a record number of educator renewals in the past two years, New Hampshire is bucking national trends and continues to attract qualified individuals into the field,” said Frank Edelblut, education commissioner.