HAZELWOOD, MO – Hazelwood West High School English and journalism teacher Chris Holmes was announced today as the Missouri Teacher of the Year by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

Holmes has been with the Hazelwood School District for eight years and an educator for 13 years. Today’s announcement came during an all-school assembly. Holmes had no idea he had won the Missouri Teacher of the Year award until it was revealed during the assembly.

“This is one of those events in your life that you just don’t expect and therefore, you don’t have the words for it,” said Chris Holmes, Missouri Teacher of the Year. “I’m most proud to represent Hazelwood, obviously proud to represent the state of Missouri, but I love Hazelwood. This is a great place, this is where I became a better teacher because of the faculty here, it’s because of the administration but especially the students and families that I’m able to have success and I attribute it all to Hazelwood.”

“I am extremely proud of Chris Holmes and his accomplishments during his eight years with Hazelwood,” said Dr. Grayling Tobias, superintendent of the Hazelwood School District. “Winning the Missouri Teacher of the Year is a tremendous honor for Hazelwood, North County, the St. Louis region, and the state of Missouri.”

Holmes is the Hazelwood School District Teacher of the Year for 2013-2014 and was also named the 2009 Educator of the Year by the Governor’s Council on Disability. He was also the recipient of the 2011 Special Ambassador Award by the Special School District of St. Louis County.

Holmes also helped start Project WALK three years ago at West High. The program identifies students at risk of dropping out of school, and intervenes to assist students graduate. He will now represent the state of Missouri in the National Teacher of the Year competition.