IU alumnus honored by Indiana Department of Education

This year, IU has stolen the education limelight.

Both the winner and runner-up for Indiana Teacher of the Year are IU School of Education alumni.

The announcement was made Thursday by the Indiana Department of Education.

Winner Stacy McCormack graduated from IU in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in science education. She is currently a physics teacher at Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind.

McCormack is now in the running for National Teacher of the Year — an award presented by the ING Foundation and a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers.

Runner up Jamil Odom received his elementary education degree from IU
in 2005.

He now teaches at Mary Bryan Elementary in the Metropolitan School District of Perry Township.

Eight of this year’s 10 finalists were IU alumni.

“The IU School of Education has had a long history of preparing excellent teachers,” said IU School of Education Dean Gerardo Gonzalez in a press release. “We are very proud of our graduates and the difference they’re making in Indiana classrooms. McCormack and Odom richly deserve the Teacher of the Year honors for which they have been selected. I extend them my heartfelt congratulations.”