Four finalists for this year’s Teacher of the Year were announced by the Maine Department of Education on Wednesday.

The finalists are: Mt. Ararat High School science teacher Allyson Gilbert; Wiscasset Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Becky Hallowell; Baxter Academy of Science and Technology science teacher Katie Strait; and Bangor High School English language arts teacher Emilie Throckmorton.

“Allyson, Becky, Katie, and Emilie are extraordinary educators who care deeply about their students, schools, and communities,” Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin said in a statement on Wednesday.

Makin continued: “They lift up everyone around them, are passionate about their profession, and are true champions of all students and schools in Maine. These four finalists represent the best qualities of Maine’s amazing educators, and I congratulate them on this well-deserved honor.”

Educators were selected by their peers and finalists were chosen by a panel of teachers, principals and business community members. 

Last year’s recipient was Joshua Chard, a second and third-grade teacher at Portland’s East End Community School.

The Department of Education says this year’s Teacher of the Year will be announced in October. Maine’s Teacher of the Year would then advocate for the Maine Education System in the National Teacher of the Year program.