Jefferson’s Restaurant Announces Inaugural “Teacher of the Year” Winner

Jefferson’s of Topeka is pleased to announce that Lauren Constantino has been named the first-ever Jefferson’s Topeka Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Constantino has been a teacher for two years, and currently teaches at Berryton Elementary School. She has taught second and fourth grade.

Mrs. Constantino was chosen from a highly competitive pool of nominations submitted by students and community members. The contest, launched in honor of National Teachers’ Day–today, May 6–aims to recognize one of Topeka’s many deserving educators. Jefferson’s selected Constantino as the Topeka Teacher of the Year for her creativity in the classroom, where she has spent countless after-school hours lesson planning to ensure her classroom is engaging and fun for every child.

"Mrs. Constantino’s nominators spoke of her bigheartedness and her love for her students," said Jefferson's President Brandon Graham. “Her nominators shared how much care and originality she puts into her classes, as well as her interest in her students as people. We’re honored to recognize Lauren Constantino for her dedication and her contribution to the Topeka community.”

Mrs. Constantino will receive a $500 gift card to Jefferson’s, and her achievement will be commemorated with a "Jefferson's Teacher of the Year" plaque for all restaurant patrons to see.

“What I treasure most is watching my students grow,” Constantino said in a statement, “academically, emotionally, and personally. There’s nothing better than seeing that spark in their eyes when they realize they can do something they once thought was out of reach. Being there for those light bulb moments—when their confidence kicks in and their love for learning really starts to shine—is something I’ll never take for granted. Teaching brings me so much joy and I am so thankful and honored to be chosen for this award!”

This year is the pilot run for the Jefferson's Teacher of the Year award, launched as a sister program to Jefferson’s Coach of the Year award, which runs in the fall. The teachers’ initiative was open to teachers working with students of any age, and candidates could be nominated by students, parents and guardians of students, school officials, or other community members.

If you’d like to congratulate Mrs. Constantino or share a story about her as a teacher, please do so by commenting on her winner announcement post on Facebook and Instagram.