Long before Madeline Loring became Pennsylvania’s 2026 Teacher of the Year, she was a first grader in a classroom that made learning feel magical.

Maddie, who earned her master’s degree from PennWest California, now teaches fourth grade math at Jefferson-Morgan Elementary School – the very school she once attended as a child. That full-circle journey says a lot about who she is as an educator: someone deeply connected to her community, passionate about meaningful learning and committed to helping students see possibility in themselves.

As a student, Maddie was inspired by a first-grade teacher who turned lessons into experiences.

“She was doing classroom transformations and project-based learning before that was even a title in education,” Maddie said.

Those early memories stayed with her. More than the lessons themselves, she remembered how learning felt: creative, engaging and full of energy. That feeling sparked a calling.

Today, Maddie brings that same spirit into her own classroom. Whether she is transforming her room into a hospital for a math lesson or helping students connect academic concepts to real careers, she believes learning should feel relevant and joyful. Her goal is not simply to teach content. It is to help students imagine who they can become.

That approach also shapes the message she now shares across Pennsylvania as Teacher of the Year. Her keynote, “Slay” – short for Sustainable Learning, Authentic You – encourages educators to bring their interests, passions and personalities into the classroom.

“Whether you love to dress up, or if you have a hobby or interest, bring that into the classroom,” she said. “That allows students to see that you’re a person, just like they are.”

PennWest helped Maddie strengthen that vision. She completed her Master of Education in Education Leadership: Administrative Program for Principals  online at PennWest while teaching, parenting and building her family, and she credits the university’s flexibility, affordability and supportive faculty with helping her reach that goal. More than that, the program challenged her to think beyond traditional models and imagine what school could look like when educators lead with creativity and purpose.

For Maddie, education has always been about more than instruction. It is about connection, joy and helping students see that learning can open doors. At PennWest, that belief grew stronger. In her classroom, it comes to life every day.