The band director at Richland County Middle School in Olney was named Illinois’ 2020 Teacher of the Year over the weekend. Eric Combs often offers free instruments to entice students to participate in the school’s band program.
Combs was not the only person honored during the Illinois State Board of Education’s sold-out banquet in Normal Saturday night. The ‘Those Who Excel Program’ also honored other outstanding teachers and support personnel who were nominated from school districts across the state. All total 258 people were honored during the event…including several from East Central Illinois.
‘’Education is a sacred profession,’’ said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen Ayala. ‘’Teaching is for the passionate, the unrelenting, and the generous. The success of every other profession depends on the success of our teachers,’’ noted Ayala, adding she was ‘’so honored and excited to be in a room of more than 1,000 other educators celebrating excellence.’’
