Feb. 26, 2025 ~ Olathe Northwest High School science and engineering teacher Andrew Taylor was named a 2025 Kansas Master Teacher on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
The Kansas Master Teacher awards, established by Emporia State University in 1954, recognize educators who demonstrate exceptional teaching qualities. A committee including representatives from the Kansas Association of Principals, Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas State Board of Education, Kansas Parent Teacher Organization, Kansas National Education Association, United School Administrators, ESU's Kappa Delta Pi student organization, and the 2023 Master Teacher class selected the recipients.
Taylor learned of the honor through a phone call from Dr. Sara Schwerdtfeger, interim dean of ESU's Teachers College, while at home on an inclement weather day.
"We are incredibly proud that Andrew Taylor was named an ESU Master Teacher," said Dr. Brent Yeager, superintendent of Olathe School District. "This is a huge accomplishment for a teacher in our state, and we want to congratulate Andrew on this achievement! It is clear he is not only a role model in education for his students and colleagues at Olathe Northwest but in the state of Kansas."
Taylor teaches in the Engineering Academy at Olathe Northwest, a four-year, STEM-focused program. The program admits students through an application process, and they take science and engineering courses with the same cohort each year. He also coaches the FIRST Robotics Team 1710, the Ravonics, which regularly excels at the state competition. Taylor is known for promoting student curiosity and empowering students to be problem-solvers.
"Learning in my classroom always starts with student questions as they observe phenomena such as infectious disease, cancer, and trendy workout regimens," Taylor said. "As I guided students through questioning strategies, I witnessed their thinking evolve, as they made deeper observations, formulated their own questions, and developed explanations. While not all students will pursue science, the strategies learned and utilized in my classroom help every student engage their curiosity as they seek to understand the world around them."
Olathe Northwest Principal Chris Zuck expressed pride in Taylor's achievement, noting that this is the first time a teacher from the school has received the Kansas Master Teacher honor.
“We are so proud of Mr. Taylor and this major accomplishment,” Zuck said. “Mr. Taylor spends countless hours at Olathe Northwest to lead and support student learning. Every day, he shows up with a commitment to excellence and a visionary approach that make him an incredible educator and uniquely qualified for this distinguished honor. Our school community and the greater Olathe community should take great pride in Mr. Taylor’s contributions to our students.”
Colleagues, administrators, and students wrote letters of nomination to support Taylor's selection. Hudson Hurtig, a 2022 Olathe Northwest graduate and former Robotics team member, wrote that Taylor had a profound impact on his life.
"By virtue of ingenuity in Mr. Taylor’s classroom, there was seldom the question, ‘When or how am I going to use this?’" Hurtig said. "In every unit, there was a real-world problem we could point to and apply fundamental concepts to, and imagine ourselves toward a better future. This fundamental strategy carried me far beyond high school and high school robotics. Less than two years later, I was giving my final presentation and was offered a full-time job at Tesla at 18 years old.”
Through the support of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Taylor will receive a $1,000 check. The 2025 Master Teachers will be honored on Master Teacher Day on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at Emporia State University. Read more about the Master Teacher program.
