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Celebrate SPS honors educators

Two women hug on a stage.

 

The Celebrate SPS banquet, hosted by Foundation for Springfield Public Schools, honored and named a Teacher of the Year, Counselor of the Year, Rookie Teacher of the Year, Turner Reading Teacher of the Year and Linda Luke Librarian of the Year on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. 

Clarissa Pohlman was named 2026-2027 SPS Teacher of the Year after 13 years as a world language teacher at Pershing Middle School.

"I'm committed to creating a warm and welcoming classroom where students feel safe, valued and supported,” said Pohlman. “Of course, I want my students to build a strong foundation in Spanish, but even more than that, I want them to know they are cared for. My goal is to create an environment that supports both academic growth and personal confidence so they are prepared not just for high school, but for life beyond it."

Two women and a man pose for a photo. The woman in the middle holds a trophy.

Brittany Groves, middle school counselor at Hickory Hills K-8 School, was named the 2026 SPS Counselor of the Year. 

Three women pose for a photo. The woman in the middle holds a trophy.

Megan Stegeman, kindergarten teacher at Rountree Elementary School, was named Rookie Teacher of the Year. 

Three women pose for a photo. The woman in the middle holds a trophy.

Alison Crane, teacher at Carver Middle School, was named the Turner Reading Teacher of the Year. 

Three women pose for a photo. The woman in the middle holds a trophy.

Lara Garrett, librarian at Gray Elementary, was named the Linda Luke Librarian of the Year. 

Two women and a man pose for a photo. The woman in the middle holds a trophy.

The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools also honored the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce as their Corporate Partner of the Year and Peter Lai and Jackie Fu as their Advocate for Education.

 

A group of people pose in a photobooth.
A group of people pose in a photobooth.
A woman stands behind a podium on a stage in front of a crowd with large, lit letters that say %22I heart FSPS%22 in the background.
A student color guard marches in front of a crowd of people standing at tables.
Four students stand in a half circle singing into a microphone on a podium.
A woman stands at a podium on a stage with large, lit letters that say %22I heart FSPS%22 in the background.
A crowd sits at tables looking to a stage where a man stands at a podium in front of a screen that says Thank you Sponsors.
Two women stand at a podium on a stage with large, lit letters that say %22I heart FSPS%22 in the background.
Three women pose for a photo.
Several people at a table in the back of a large banquet room shake props in the air in celebration
A woman talks into a microphone at a podium on a stage with large, lit letters that say %22I heart FSPS%22 in the background.
Three women pose for a photo. The woman in the middle holds a trophy.
Three women pose for a photo.
A woman and a man stand at a podium on a stage with large, lit letters that say %22I heart FSPS%22 in the background.
A woman holding a trophy talks into a microphone at a podium on a stage.
Two women and a man pose for a photo. The woman in the middle holds a trophy.
Three women pose for a photo.
Two women stand at a podium on a stage with large, lit letters that say %22I heart FSPS%22 in the background.
A woman holding a trophy shaped like an apple talks into a microphone at a podium on a stage
Three women pose for a photo. The woman in the middle holds a trophy.
Four women and a man pose for a photo.
Two women and a man pose for a photo.
A crowd of people seated at tables in a banquet hall.
A woman looks on as two other women hug next to a podium on a stage.
A woman talks into a microphone at a podium on a stage.
Three women pose for a photo. The woman in the middle holds a trophy.
A woman stands at a podium with a man standing behind her on a stage. Behind them is a screen that says Advocate for Education.
A woman hands a man a trophy on a stage. Another woman follows the man across the stage.
A woman smiles towards a man talking into a microphone at a podium on a stage.
Two people stand at a podium on a stage. A screen behind them says Corporate Partner of the Year.
A woman and a man stand behind a man talking into a microphone at a podium on a stage.
People stand alongside a man holding a trophy.
Four women and a man pose for a photo.
A woman stands on a stage behind a man talking into a microphone on a podium.
A woman and a man stand at a podium on a stage with large, lit letters that say %22I heart FSPS%22 in the background.
A woman walks across a stage towards another woman and a podium.
A woman talked into a microphone on a podium.
Two women and a man pose for a photo. The woman in the middle holds a trophy.
A woman poses for a photo with a trophy shaped like an apple.
People line up to have their photos taken.
A crowd mills about a room.
People hold up photos on sticks around a woman posing for a photo being taken.
A woman hugs two people.
Four adults stand in a circle talking.
A man takes a picture of a man and a woman next to large, lit letters that say %22I heart FSPS%22.