Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, presents Brandon Bailey with his $10,000 check.

A Wexford County educator has won the 2026 Educator of the Year award and a $10,000 prize from the Michigan Lottery’s Excellence In Education program.

“Congratulations to Brandon Bailey for well-deserved recognition as the Michigan Lottery’s Educator of the Year,” said Governor Whitmer. “For over two decades, Mr. Bailey has gone above and beyond for his students, helping them in and out of the classroom. He is an exceptional education leader, always finding time to work one-on-one with students who need extra help and promoting teamwork and collaboration on the playground. I’m so grateful to educators like Brandon who help prepare Michigan students for success.”

The award winner, Brandon Bailey, teaches fifth-grade math and science at Forest View Elementary. The school is part of the Cadillac Area Public Schools.

Bailey has worked in education for 21 years, the last eight in his current position. He says the reward of passing his love of learning on to students inspired him to pursue a career in education.

“I love to teach. I am passionate about it. I found it to be very rewarding to pass on the love of learning to someone else. When I was young, I liked to learn through a hands-on approach, and that is what I wanted to be when I became a teacher. I wanted to put the learning in the hands of the students and watch them learn from the doing of whatever they are learning. I like the philosophy of when the student is involved, they learn.

“It’s truly an honor to be named the 2026 Educator of the Year. I’m a firm believer that if students know you care, then they will put in the work, so I show up every day ready to help my students reach their goals and support them in whatever way I can. Being recognized for the things you do on a daily basis makes you feel valued and appreciated, and receiving this award because of a nomination from a former student makes it even more special.”

Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, recently presented Bailey with the award.

“Brandon Bailey is an incredible educator. He cultivates a positive school culture and goes above and beyond for his students,” said Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich. “Mr. Bailey makes learning fun and exciting by taking a hands-on teaching approach and building bonds with each of his students. He creates a safe and caring environment where students can learn and grow academically, socially, and emotionally. From the classroom to the playground, Mr. Bailey is an outstanding role model and leader. I am honored to name Brandon Bailey the 2026 Michigan Lottery Excellence in Education Educator of the Year.”

“Brandon goes above and beyond every day to ensure each student reaches his or her full potential,” said Cadillac Area Public Schools Superintendent, Jennifer Brown. “More importantly, he leaves every student with the belief that they are capable learners — even in a subject as challenging as math. He genuinely cares about his students both inside and outside the classroom and is deeply invested in who they are as people. We are incredibly fortunate to have Brandon as part of CAPS, and this recognition is a reflection of the lasting impact he makes on students each and every day.”

“We are extremely proud of Mr. Brandon Bailey for winning the Michigan Lottery’s Educator of the Year Award,” said Forest View Elementary Principal, Jacob Wing. “Brandon has an unwavering dedication to his students and is committed to helping every child succeed. This award reflects the lasting impact he makes each day in the lives of students and families. We are incredibly proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor.”

Bailey was nominated for the award by a former student and his family.

“Mr. Bailey, without a doubt, goes over and way beyond helping students surpass their expectation academically as well as positively impacting the student’s character, social skills, along with emotional development. Mr. Bailey achieves this by building a bond with students, displaying a trusting and safe environment. This environment encourages a positive learning experience, and I have to say positivity begets positivity. Mr. Bailey is not only an excellent role model inside the classroom, but he also interacts with his students outside the classroom on the playground promoting teamwork among the students, helping them get along with a diverse group of others. This in turn helps students effectively in groups inside the classroom which gives them expertise for working in an ever-evolving world. Mr. Bailey always finds the time for working one-on-one with students who are struggling or ones that are just asking for extra help. He loves his job and students, and it consistently shows throughout the school year by helping students reach their full potential. Going beyond the classroom, Mr. Bailey also helps his colleagues and the school district advance to a higher level of academic achievement as noted by upper grade level teachers and Cadillac Public School data. Enough can never be said about Mr. Bailey and his excellence in teaching.”

Bailey earned a bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College and a master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University. He has been an educator for 21 years, the last eight in his current position.

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 plaque and a $2,000 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.

Each year, one of the weekly winners is selected as the Educator of the Year and receives a $10,000 prize.

Hundreds of educators from across the state were nominated for an Excellence in Education weekly award during the 12th year of the program and 34, including Bailey, were selected to win a weekly award.

Previous winners of the Educator of the Year award were:

2025 – Kelly Herberholz, a science teacher and administrative team intern at Dakota High School.

2024 – Samantha TwoCrow, director of the Indigenous Education Program for Suttons Bay Public Schools.

2023 – Kathryn Kluzak, a kindergarten teacher with Robert L. Green Elementary in East Lansing.

2022 – Spencer Vanderheide, a high school teacher with Kenowa Hills High School.

2021 – Janice Smith, a school social worker at Fisher Magnet Lower Academy in Detroit.

2020 – Megan Sidge, an Autism Spectrum Disorder teacher at Hickory Woods Elementary in Walled Lake.

2019 – Stewart Kieliszewski, an Earth science, biology, mechatronics, and media teacher for eighth through 12 graders at the Ubly Community Schools.

2018 – Kerri Moccio, a first-grade literacy intervention specialist at Bedford Elementary School in Dearborn Heights.

2017 – Linda Holzwarth, a social studies teacher at Portage West Middle School in Portage.

2016 – Daniel Carr, a Spanish and sports marketing teacher at Waverly High School in Lansing.

2015 – Michael Craig, a special education teacher at the Charles Drew Transition Center in Detroit.

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.