Michigan Lottery Connect

Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, presents Melissa Findlay with her Excellence in Education check.

A Tuscola County educator who is known for passing her passion for learning on to her students has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Melissa Findlay, is a Professions in Education Instructor at Tuscola Technology Center. The school is part of the Tuscola Intermediate School District.

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 and WILX in Lansing, WLUC in Marquette, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Findlay will air this evening.

Findlay said her educational experience growing up inspired her to pursue a career in education.

“I had the best educational experience in the small town I grew up in and couldn’t wait to make kids love learning like I do because of my teachers. I had an amazing principal in middle school who encouraged me to pursue special education when he heard I wanted to be a teacher. He later moved into a superintendent position and hired me for my first teaching job.”

Findlay was nominated for the award by a colleague.

“In the dynamic world of Career and Technical Education (CTE), it is rare to find an educator who can navigate the complexities of professional development while maintaining the warmth of a mentor. Melissa Findlay is that rare exception. As a CTE teacher, she doesn’t just follow a curriculum; she builds a bridge between the classroom and the real world, ensuring her students are prepared for whatever path they choose to walk after graduation.

“One of the most remarkable aspects of Melissa’s daily routine is her ability to manage two vastly different worlds simultaneously. In a feat of pedagogical “juggling,” she often oversees her high school CTE students while simultaneously managing a preschool laboratory class. Melissa facilitates this with a calm, expert hand, ensuring both the teenagers and the toddlers receive the attention and enrichment they need.

“What truly sets Melissa apart, however, is her authenticity. She isn’t a distant figure behind a podium; she is a storyteller. By sharing her own personal experiences – her successes, her setbacks, and the lessons she learned along the way – she creates a culture of trust. This transparency makes her advice feel earned rather than lectured.

“At her core, Melissa Findlay is driven by an irrepressible passion for education. It is a fire that defines her career, but she doesn’t want to hold the torch alone. Her ultimate goal is to pass that passion on to her students, inspiring the next generation of educators, leaders, and professionals to approach their work with the same level of heart and dedication. Melissa Findlay doesn’t just teach a subject; she teaches people. She is a reminder that a great teacher doesn’t just fill a bucket – they light a fire.”

Findlay earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Saginaw Valley State University. She has been an educator for 23 years, the last 10 in her 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.