Each year, HHMF will award two outstanding educators and/or staff working in Red Wing Public Schools $10,000. The HHMF board will review all submitted nominations and select winners based on criteria including their leadership, community and school involvement, and more. 

Additionally the gifting opportunity will occur in three year cycles. In the first and second years (2025 and 2026), one teacher from grades preK-6 and one teacher from grades 7-12 will be selected. In the third year (2027), two support staff members will be chosen from grades preK-12—one from preK-6 and one from 7-12—each receiving an award of $10,000.

Nominations will open in the spring, and the award recipients will be announced in May each year during Teacher Appreciation Week.

In order to be eligible, nominees must be a Red Wing Public Schools employee and have been with the district for at least three years. Tower View Alternative High School teachers and staff are included in the Red Wing Public Schools and are thus eligible.

Coaches are eligible if they are also teachers or support staff in the district.

• Substitute teachers.

• Employees of the Goodhue County Education District and Charter/Parochial Schools, as they are not part of the Red Wing Public Schools.

• Administrators, Managers, Directors, Athletic Directors, Principals, Police Resource Officers, Assistant Principals, and Student Support Coordinators.

• Anyone nominated by or nominating a family member.

• Board members or spouses of board members of the Hedin Hartnagel Board of Directors who would benefit financially from receiving the award.

No.

This award is all about dedicated Red Wing Public Schools educators and staff celebrating one another!

Only Red Wing Public Schools educators and non-administrative employees who have been with the district at least three years are eligible to submit nominations for this award. 

Only one nomination may be submitted per nominator, and nominators cannot nominate themselves or a family member. Teachers and support staff who meet the eligibility guidelines themselves can nominate an individual for the award. Support staff can nominate teachers, and teachers can nominate support staff in any year. Individuals not eligible for nomination cannot submit nominations.

Late nominations will not be accepted. 

Nominations will open in February of each year. Nominations for this year must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM CST on April 1, 2025 . The winner will be announced during Teacher Appreciation Week in May. 

Late nominations will not be accepted.

No! Award winners receiving the $10,000 award can put the fund toward anything they would like.

Check with your tax accountant for any tax implications the award will have.  

Nominators are encouraged to complete the nomination in a way that:

• Immerses the reader in the school setting, allowing them to visualize the nominee’s excellence and igniting curiosity with ample examples.

• Highlights what distinguishes this nominee from their colleagues in their influence on students in classrooms, hallways, libraries, gyms, and lunchrooms.

• Reflects the nominee’s influence beyond the classroom.

• Maintains a student-centered perspective, incorporating numerous examples of student engagement and experiences.

• Demonstrates the individual as a positive role model for both students and colleagues.

• Focuses on building relationships that transform and empower students, parents, and the community.

• Embodies the nominee’s dedication to the belief that all children can achieve a bright future.

Please note, in addition to the written portion of the nomination form, nominators are also asked a to provide a short video 2 minutes or less, outlining specific reasons why your nominee should be selected for the Elizabeth Hedin Award for Educator Excellence.

You can find the handout with more information on the award here.