Michigan Lottery Connect

Lottery Spokesman, Jake Harris, presents Mike Stoneback with his Excellence in Education check.

A Bay County educator who is known for his dedication and service to his school community has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Mike Stoneback, is an English and AP Government teacher at Pinconning High School. The school is part of the Pinconning Area Public Schools.

The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence In Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.

Winners of the weekly award receive a $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations: WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 in Lansing, WLUC in Marquette, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Stoneback will air this evening.

Stoneback said his love of learning new things inspired him to pursue a career in education.

“I have always truly enjoyed school and learning new things. I love to read and discover, and I love the satisfaction received from earning good grades and completing work to the best of my abilities. My love of education was fostered at an early age by my parents. My mother was a high school English teacher throughout my childhood, so I had the unique opportunity to witness her passion for and dedication to her job. My father was a local minister, and through him I learned how to serve others and how to put others before myself.”

Stoneback was nominated for the award by a colleague.

“Mike consistently goes above and beyond the expectations of his role, generously giving his time, energy, and heart to support both students and staff. In addition to being an exceptional English teacher, he coaches soccer, serves as the advisor for Student Council and National Honor Society, and is a constant, positive presence at school events.

Through his leadership with Student Council and NHS, Mike and his students actively recognize and celebrate the hard work of our staff by organizing thoughtful gestures of appreciation throughout the year and providing lunches for staff on exam days. His team unites our student body by planning assemblies that build school spirit, hosting dances that create meaningful experiences for our high school students and organizing community events like our homecoming parade or Trick or Treating for local children inside the school. These efforts strengthen our school culture and community partnerships. Mike reminds everyone that they are valued through his generous actions.

Mike is a permanent fixture at school activities, always showing up with enthusiasm, encouragement, and a genuine desire to serve others. His commitment, generosity, and unwavering support set a true example of service and leadership. Our school is incredibly fortunate to have Mike Stoneback, and his impact is felt daily by students, staff, and the entire community.”

Stoneback earned a bachelor’s degree from Alma College, and a master’s degree from Saginaw Valley State University. He has been an educator for 25 years all in his current position.

Excellence in Education award nominees are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Excellence – Their work consistently helps students and/or their schools or school districts advance to higher levels of academic achievement.
• Dedication – They consistently go above and beyond expectations to help students succeed.
• Inspiration – Their work inspires others around them to exceed expectations either academically or professionally.
• Leadership – They demonstrate clear leadership skills in their positions with their school or school districts.
• Effectiveness – The nominee’s work has clear and positive results on the educational advancement of students within the school or school district.