Garden City High School teacher named NSDA Kansas Educator of the Year

Garden City, KS(westernkansasnews.com) The National Speech & Debate Association(NSDA) has named Garden City High School teacher Russ Tidwell the 2017-2018 Kansas Educator of the Year.

From more than 5,000 member coaches and teachers across the country, Russ Tidwell was selected as the Kansas Educator of the Year because of his unwavering commitment to speech and debate education. His passion for speech and debate has enhanced the quality of education in Kansas and beyond.

“Speech and debate changes lives,” said National Speech & Debate Association Executive Director J. Scott Wunn. “Russ Tidwell has provided outstanding leadership in helping students improve their communication skills, build confidence, and increase critical thinking skills. All of these skills will better prepare students for college, a career, and a successful life after school.”

To be nominated for this prestigious award educators must coach and teach speech and debate, have a minimum of 5-years’ experience in the classroom, demonstrate broad contributions to the field of education, provide support and mentorship to the speech and debate community, and model the established NSDA Coach Code of Ethics.

Additionally, each State Educator of the Year award winner will be considered for the 2017-2018 National Educator of the Year Award. The national award winner will be announced on National Speech and Debate Education Day on March 2, 2018.