Meet the 2025 South Dakota Teacher of the Year Candidates

Amy Verhelst, the finalist from Region 1, has been teaching for 11 years. She incorporates the Science of Reading into her kindergarten classroom, helping students to become readers who love to learn.

Erin Rieff teaches art at Brandon Valley Middle School. She has been a teacher for 22 years; during that time, she has taught elementary, middle, and high school art.

Megan Wilson teaches high school math at Sanborn Central High School; she has been teaching for 15 years.

Christy Saltsman has been teaching for 25 years; she is currently in her 17th year of teaching at Gettysburg School District.

Michelle Abbott has been teaching second grade for 16 years; prior to that, she worked for one year as an aide for the special education department.