INK! Announces 2026 Teacher of the Year Finalists
ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida (December 29, 2025)— The St. Johns County Education Foundation, better known as Investing in Kids (INK!), recognizes the dedicated teaching community each year with two prestigious awards: Teacher of the Year and Rookie Teacher of the Year. On Tuesday, December 16th, representatives of INK! surprised the five Teacher of the Year finalists in the classroom, sharing the exciting news and including students in the celebration. This year’s finalists for Teacher of the Year, selected from a pool of 50 nominees, are Pauline Harris, Kylie Benetsky, Denise Shedlock, Sabina Atic, and Katelin Bonner. The St. Johns County District Teacher of the Year and Rookie Teacher of the Year will be announced on Thursday, January 15, 2026, during a ceremony at the World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort.
“We are honored to celebrate this year’s nominees and finalists, as well as the exceptional educators who serve students across St. Johns County,” said Cathy Newman, INK!’s Executive Director. “Because teachers are nominated by their peers, this recognition speaks volumes about each nominee’s impact both inside and beyond the classroom. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to our students and our community.”
The Teacher of the Year and Rookie Teacher of the Year are announced at the official celebration on Thursday, January 15th. Themed “Our Teachers Light a Spark,” the awards ceremony also recognizes the nearly 100 educators who were named Teacher or Rookie Teacher of the Year at their schools throughout St. Johns County. The Teacher of the Year represents St. Johns County at the annual State of Florida Teacher of the Year event. They also participate in a yearlong professional development and leadership program with a cohort of Teachers of the Year from around the state. This year’s finalists for Teacher of the Year are:
Pauline Harris, a 6th-grade math teacher at Valley Ridge Academy with 14 years of teaching experience.
Kylie Benetsky, a 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade instructional coach at Switzerland Point Middle School with 7 years of teaching experience.
Denise Shedlock, a 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade science teacher at Creekside High School with 13 years of teaching experience.
Sabina Atic, a 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade biomedical science teacher at Beachside High School with 7 years of teaching experience.
Katelin Bonner, a 10th-grade English II teacher at Pedro Menendez High School with 16 years of teaching experience.
ABOUT INVESTING IN KIDS: The St. Johns County Education Foundation, Inc., which operates as Investing in Kids (INK!), promotes success for all St. Johns County public school students and teachers by providing innovative programs, teacher support, classroom resources, and scholarships to benefit more than 52,000 students and approximately 3,200 teachers. INK! is a 501(c)3 education foundation with offices at 1 Christopher St. in St. Augustine. Photos to accompany this release may be found here. Learn more at ink-stjohns.org and follow along on Facebook @InvestingInKids and Instagram @INK_InvestingInKids
