Local educators among semifinalists for 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

(ABC 6 News) – Teachers from Austin and Rochester are among the pool of semifinalists nominated for the 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

On Wednesday, the field of possible candidates was narrowed down to 31 semifinalists.

Two local teachers are in that pool. The first is Christoph Dundas, a band teacher at Austin High School. The other is Criselda Martinez, a teacher at Riverside Elementary School in Rochester.

The winner of the Teacher of the Year honor will be announced at a banquet in May.