Lottery Commissioner, Suzanna Shkreli, presents Jeff Burgess with his Excellence in Education check.
An Ingham County educator who is known for bringing energy and leadership to mathematics education has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.
The award winner, Jeff Burgess, is a math teacher and department chair at East Lansing High School. The school is part of East Lansing 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 Burgess will air this evening.
“Mr. Burgess’s love of math and his dedication to providing students with the tools they need to succeed are truly inspiring,” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “His ability to take a challenging subject and present it in a way that makes it fun and engaging, combined with his passion for his students, makes him an outstanding educator and a tremendous asset to East Lansing High School.”
Burgess said tutoring classmates in high school and making a difference in students’ lives inspired him to pursue a career in education.
“I was attracted to a career in education as I tutored classmates in mathematics while I was in high school. I also was drawn to being a teacher as I wanted to be able to make a difference in students’ lives. Both of my brothers are teachers, and I see them helping others.”
Burgess was nominated for the award by a colleague.
“Jeff Burgess is a passionate and dedicated mathematics teacher and the department chair at East Lansing High School. His impact goes far beyond the classroom. Through his energy, leadership, and commitment, he has become a vital part of the academic success and positive culture at the school and in the community. Mr. Burgess sets a high standard for academic achievement. As Math Department Chair, he plays a key role in shaping curriculum, supporting fellow teachers, and raising expectations for all math students. He maintained an active partnership with William Schmidt with the Michigan State University math department, which helped bring additional resources and enrichment opportunities to his students. He is one of the most popular teachers in the building, and his classes consistently fill up with a waiting list of students hoping to get in. Jeff is deeply committed to supporting students in every way possible. He volunteers hundreds of hours each year with the East Lansing Basketball Club, an organization that provides over $30,000 annually to benefit the community. These funds support youth sports, high school athletic teams, foreign language trips, the East Lansing Public Library, and many other local causes. His dedication to giving back shows his belief in building a strong and supportive environment for all students and families. Mr. Burgess brings an energy to school that is impossible to miss. You can hear him teaching from down the hall, and students describe his classes as exciting and full of life. Each day is like a rollercoaster in the best possible way, filled with enthusiasm, laughter, and learning. His passion for teaching motivates students to be present, involved, and ready to learn. His positivity spreads to colleagues as well, inspiring those around him to bring their best every day. The results of Mr. Burgess’s work speak for themselves. Students in his classes show strong growth in understanding, confidence, and performance. The success of his AP Stats course is just one example of how his teaching methods make a real difference. Through his continued learning and university partnerships, he brings rigor and relevance to his instruction. He helps students think critically, communicate clearly, and believe in their own ability to succeed. The daily AP experiences are a ton of fun.”
Burgess earned a bachelor’s degree from Albion College and a master’s degree from Missouri State University. He has been an educator for 19 years, all of them 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.
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