Local DJs renew quest to find the “Best Teachers on the Planet”

ST. GEORGE — Lukas Cox and Larae Nelson, hosts on the local radio station, Planet 105.1 F.M., say they are relaunching their ongoing mission of finding exquisite and exciting life within education’s frontiers by finding the “best teachers on the planet” starting next month.

Bethany Nelson, a teacher from Coral Canyon Elementary School, celebrates winning $500 during the Best Teacher on the Planet Party in St. George, Utah, May 19, 2018 | Photo by Markee Heckenliable, St. George News

The hosts of the Lukas and Larae in the Morning show are kicking off their annual event to find local teachers within the schools of Southern Utah who represent the true meaning of supreme beings by seeking the public’s help. The public can help by submitting recommendations.

They set out to recognize teachers who boldly go to where many fear to tread, the minds of our youth. They say the goal is to find teachers who find ways to enlighten, instruct and lead their students with expressions of creativity, ingenuity, love and patience.

Nelson, who developed the idea of the award program in 2006, explained it was developed to recognize unsung heroes of teachers who do more than what the job entails to ensure students’ success.

“So it used to be my husband, Chris, and I who did the morning show, and both of his parents and my mother are teachers,” said Nelson. “It is honestly about honoring our teachers. We want the teachers to get recognized and acknowledged plus get a little something extra.”

The first winner will be announced on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 8:45 a.m., on the morning show. Larae and Lukas will read the nomination submission, including everything that is said about the teacher.

“After reading the winner on air, Lukas and I will later on that day go into the classroom of the winning teacher, being a surprise to the teacher, and we award the teacher with all of these prizes! We do it in front of their class, typically… and then we give them a copy of the letter. Whoever nominated them, whatever was said about them, we give them a copy of that letter to keep,” Nelson said.

The award will be given to a new teacher every Wednesday (excluding holiday weeks) for the rest of the school year until the first week of May. The weekly “Best Teacher on the Planet” gets a T-shirt that proclaims their new title, as well as prizes from Boulevard Home Furnishings, Advanced Mobile IV, Eureka Casino and Resort, Bear Paw Cafe, Quick Quack Car Wash and Findlay Kia.

Honorees from the Best Teacher on the Planet 2020-21 contest were recognized at an end of the year party hosted by Planet 105.1, St. George, Utah, May 16, 2021 | Photo courtesy of Planet 105.1, St. George News

“So a lot of teachers will win lots of prizes,” Cox said.

Cox pointed out that last year there were around 390 teachers nominated, with under 30 teachers winning the award. According to the calendar, this school year, there will be 27 teachers who win the award.

At the end of the year, Findlay Kia will be hosting a big party for all the weekly winners. Four of the “Best Teachers on the Planet” will win the grand prize: $500 for each teacher and $500 for each school that the teacher works at. A total of $4,000 will be given out from Findlay Kia.

Nelson there are nomination letters submitted by all of the students in the class. The winning teacher receives a copy of all the nominations received and is able to see and read everything written about them.

Lukas and Larae are on a mission to find the Best Teacher on the Planet for the school year 2022-23 in Southern Utah, St. George, Utah, September 22, 2022 | Photo/Graphic Design by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

There are no requirements of who can can submit a nomination of a teacher for the award, though the winner can’t be a relative of an employee of Canyon Media or its sponsors.

“You know someone who is an amazing teacher; we want you to tell us about them,” Nelson said.

Teachers can be nominated by clicking here.

Bound for an uncertain destination, the team of Lukas and Larae are on the mission to go into the vastness of Southern Utah and find the one objective of their goal and find the masters, the supreme beings who have the force strong with them, the instructors of our young “padawans,” the Best Teachers on the Planet.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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