Few professions have a greater impact on the future than teaching, and each year Oklahoma recognizes the educators who go above and beyond for their students through the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Program. The Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma (MCFOK) is proud to play a role in honoring those exceptional teachers.
On Friday, June 5, Masonic Charity Foundation Board members and officers of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Oklahoma joined educators and state leaders at the Reed Conference Center in Midwest City for the annual Teacher of the Year Gala. The event celebrated the dedication, passion and lasting influence that Oklahoma teachers have on the lives of their students and communities.
This year, Kasey Bennett, a kindergarten-through-fourth-grade teacher at Northwest Heights Elementary School in Durant Public Schools, was named the 2026 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. Bennett’s commitment to helping young students learn and her teaching philosophy, which centers on meeting students’ needs with empathy and joy, earned her the state’s highest honor for educators.
Representing the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma and the Masonic Fraternity of Oklahoma, Grand Master Don Stanton presented a $6,000 award to Bennett. Through its ongoing partnership with the program, MCFOK provides financial support that helps recognize Oklahoma’s outstanding educators. The Foundation funds the Teacher of the Year cash award, $1,500 awards for each finalist, supports finalist recognition certificates, and helps underwrite the state Teacher of the Year Selection Day Events.
Since 1955, the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Program has recognized educators who exemplify excellence in the classroom. Coordinated by the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the program continues to shine a spotlight on teachers whose work changes lives every day.
For the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma, supporting the Teacher of the Year Program is about more than presenting awards. Since 1994, the Foundation has proudly supported this program as an investment in the educators who inspire and help shape the next generation of Oklahomans. By recognizing and celebrating these teachers, MCFOK helps ensure that their dedication, excellence, and achievements receive the appreciation they deserve.
