Lottery Commissioner, Suzanna Shkreli, presents Brett Metzger with his Excellence in Education check.

A Sanilac County educator who is known for a relentless drive to help his students succeed has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Brett Metzger, is a high school math teacher at Brown City High School. The school is part of Brown City Community 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 Metzger will air this evening.

“Mr. Metzger’s drive and ability to inspire creativity in his students is commendable,” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “He is a role model for his students and the Brown City community, embodying what it means to be an Excellence in Education honoree.”

Metzger said positive influences from educators and coaches in his life inspired him to pursue a career in education.

“The positive influence that educators and coaches had on my life growing up inspired me to pursue a career in education. Their guidance and support motivated me to want to make that same kind of lasting impact on future generations. As a teacher, it is my belief that every student has the potential to succeed, no matter which path they choose. My motivation comes from knowing that I can help provide them with the skills, confidence, and mindset they need to achieve their highest aspirations and goals.”

Metzger was nominated for the award by a lifelong friend.

“Brett Metzger is one of the most impressive and hard-working young educators in the state. He has a relentless drive and contributes to all aspects of students’ lives from sports/coaching, teaching, facility maintenance, and more. His determination and mindset geared towards students’ best interest is one that goes far beyond the classroom and deserves more recognition than can be given. Teaching aside, Brett is a person of tremendous character, willpower, and dedication as a father, husband, and as a friend. The amount of respect he deserves cannot be overstated, as he is a role model of the utmost value to students, parents and coworkers alike.”

Metzger earned a bachelor’s degree from Grand Valley State University. He has been an educator for eight years, the last five 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.