Congratulations 2026 Teacher of the Year FINALISTS

My name is Laura Kukay and I currently teach GED at Grafton Correctional Institution. I previously taught Pre-GED, Adult Basic Education, and High School Options in addition to administering Career Enhancement Learning classes. I have taught in corrections for four years. I started my career in corrections as a GED teacher to both male and female incarcerated persons at Lorain-Medina Community Based Correctional Facility. 

When I’m told “I can’t place your accent” or asked where I’m from, I joke that I’m a mutt. I was born in New Jersey (parents from Long Island) but was raised and completed K-12 in Louisville, KY. I attended Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH and completed a Bachelor of Arts in English. After graduation, I moved to Washington DC and completed a Master of Arts in Teaching from American University.  After student teaching, I became a certified, secondary teacher in Maryland and taught high school English for a decade. I loved that position because I was able to teach AP English through remedial English as well as night school. I moved to New Hampshire to join my husband and taught high school in NH and later in Massachusetts. I worked as a test prep tutor in a private Boston educational boutique while I was raising my two children. When an opportunity arose to teach test prep in corrections, I was all in! When I’m not teaching, I can be found on the baseball fields watching my son or at the theater watching my daughter perform. My husband and beagle, Zoe, enjoy watching all the Oscar Nominated films (reminding me that I really should cultivate a more robust social life). 

My name is Tyler Seyfang, I have taught Business Operations and Service Support at the Marion Correctional Institution for the past two years. My philosophy of teaching is about meeting the student at their level and understanding that everyone can be taught, you just have to find the right way to teach them. Originally, I didn’t know if I wanted to make a career out of teaching. If you asked anyone that knows me now, it would be apparent that I don’t know where I would be if I weren’t a teacher. Being able to make a difference every day has been life changing for me. I love my job, my coworkers, and the classroom. 

A little about me, I went to school at Bowling Green State University and am currently pursuing my Masters in CTE Curriculum and Education from BGSU. I come from a long line of educators, dating back to my grandfather, my mother and father are also educators. I also recently got married to the love of my life, my high school sweetheart. I enjoy playing video games, spending time with my wife and my dog, and hanging out with my friends. Originally I thought that corrections education would be a means to an end for me, but in my time teaching, it has evolved into a passion and something I think I was meant to do. 

"Everyone deserves a chance. It is entirely up to them to take advantage of that chance."

In my ten years of teaching at Lebanon Correctional Institution, my classroom has been built on this fundamental truth. I do not look at a student's past; I look at their potential. My role is to provide the doorway, the tools, and the knowledge, but it is up to the student to step through and do the work.

🌟 Baking as a Metaphor for Life

The lessons taught in my kitchen do not end when the ovens are turned off. Every recipe we execute is a practical exercise in critical real-world skills:

• Patience & Timing: You cannot rush yeast, and you      cannot force dough to rise. Success in baking—and in life—requires      learning to respect the process, manage time, and develop patience.
• Precision & Accountability: Baking is an exact science.      Students learn quickly that small details matter and that they must take      absolute ownership of their actions and results.
• Adaptability & Resilience: When a bake doesn’t go as      planned, we don’t give up. We analyze what went wrong, adjust our      variables, and try again.
• Collaboration &      Communication: Operating a high-volume commercial kitchen requires seamless      communication and trust. Students learn how to work alongside diverse      personalities to achieve a shared goal.

"I run my classroom like a professional business because I want my students to know what it feels like to be respected, capable, and accountable. Whether they go on to work in a bakery, step onto a baseball field, or pursue an entirely different path, my goal is to help people learn how to work hard, stand tall, and build a brighter future."

Beyond the classroom, I am deeply committed to supporting and uplifting the local community. I proudly serve on the Board of Directors for Lebanon Youth Baseball. Above all, my favorite way to spend free time is with family. Believing that strong connections and shared moments are life's most important ingredients, I prioritize spending as much quality time as possible with loved ones.

For 27 plus years, my classroom has extended far beyond four walls—reaching from the whiteboard to the shop floor. As an educator and coach, I believe that the greatest lessons we teach aren't found in a textbook, but in how we respond to adversity and commit to incremental daily growth. My approach is rooted in relational mentorship; I strive to be a steady, high-expectation presence for my students. I measure my success not by win-loss records, but by the character of the young men who leave my classroom ready to contribute meaningfully to the world. I believe to be prosperous, we must “live life forward and understand it backwards.” I strive to be a steady, high-expectation presence in my students' lives, teaching them that discipline is not a punishment, but the key to personal freedom and their many achievements.

I was born and raised in Barnesville, Ohio, graduating from Barnesville High School in 1992. Growing up, I learned the values of hard work and public service directly from my parents: my father worked in the coal mines, and my mother worked in payroll at the Belmont County Correctional Facility.

Following high school, I attended Marietta College, where I played both football and baseball until injuries cut my collegiate playing days short. This setback redirected my athletic passion toward coaching and teaching. I earned my Bachelor of Science in physical education and adaptive physical education from Ohio University and later completed my master’s in education, focusing on special education, at Muskingum University.

For the past three years, I have had the privilege of serving the Ohio Department of Youth Services at the Circleville Juvenile Correctional Facility. I began my time at Ralph C. Starkey High School with a year and a half teaching special education, building on more than two decades of classroom experience. As I transitioned into the Career Technologies program, I not only served as the Construction Technologies Instructor, but also designed and built the program from the ground up to meet the unique needs of our students and facility. The success of this work—and the positive outcomes it created for our youth—was recognized in 2025 when I was honored as the Teacher of the Year at the Buckeye United School District Convocation, as well as the Ohio Department of Youth Services Employee of the Year.

Beyond my work in the classroom and on the field, my greatest source of pride is my family. My daughter, Adyzon, is pursuing her passion for helping others in the Nursing Program at OSU-Newark. My son, Jaxon, works as a social worker in the Cleveland area while pursuing his doctorate in Youth Psychiatry.

Nicholas "Nick" Kottman is an educator with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC), where he works as an Adult GED teacher. Nick’s dedication to state service began in September 2014 as a corrections officer, before he transitioned to the classroom in June 2023. His teaching portfolio includes instructing High School Options and leading Virtual Reality initiatives, guided by a philosophy that education is a powerful vehicle for personal transformation and rehabilitation. To support his students' holistic growth, he developed a specialized curriculum focused on social-emotional learning (SEL) and study skills, and he collaborates with University of Toledo Professor Dr. Matt Foss to coordinate the Creative Screenwriters Group. Nick also serves on the agency's peer support and domestic violence survivor advocacy teams.

Outside of the classroom, Nick resides in Northwest Ohio with his wife, Victoria, their blended family of four children, and a lively household of two dogs and two cats. A passionate performer, Nick sings with the Toledo Opera, directs his church handbell choir, sings in the church choir, and is currently learning to play the bagpipes. In his spare time, he also enjoys creative outlets like attending Renaissance Faires and participating in local cosplay events.