3rd-Grade Teacher is Building Students' Confidence: Meet Anna Tykwinski, Our October 2026 Honoree

Anna Tykwinski, a 3rd-grade teacher at Westside Elementary School in West Fargo, North Dakota, is the recipient of our October 2026 Honored National Teaching Award. She was nominated for this award by the mom of her student, Dax. Joining Anna in this episode are Dax and Dax's mom, Jamie.

You'll hear about:

- Anna Tykwinski's journey to becoming a teacher.

- The impact Anna has had on Dax and his family.

- Anna's dedication to creating strong, meaningful relationships with her students.

- How Anna has supported Dax in transitioning from spending most of his day in the special education classroom to the general education classroom.

You'll also hear from JJ Abrams, an American producer and filmmaker known for his work in action, drama, and science fiction. He shares about a teacher who left an incredible impact on their journey in our segment "Teachers Who Inspired".

Links Mentioned:

- Read more about Anna Tykwinski's story: https://www.honored.org/honoree/anna-tykwinski

- Nominate a teacher for our Honored National Teaching Award: https://www.honored.org/nominate/

- Read the incredible nomination for Anna: https://www.honored.org/nominees/anna-tykwinski

- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honored/