September 3, 2025

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Alexandra Snabon-Jun was named the 2026 Nevada State Teacher of the Year during a surprise ceremony on Wednesday.

Jun is a longtime Clark County School District educator who teaches music at Tyrone Thompson Elementary School in Las Vegas. She will represent the Silver State in the National Teacher of the Year program.

“On behalf of the state of Nevada, I would like to extend my congratulations to the 2026 Nevada State Teacher of the Year, Alexandra Snabon-Jun,” said Governor Joe Lombardo. “She exemplifies exceptional dedication and leadership in the field of education, significantly impacting the lives of her students. I am proud that she will represent our great state on the national stage.”

The mission of the Nevada State Teacher of the Year program is to celebrate excellence and strengthen the teaching force by honoring and recognizing exceptional teachers on a school, district, state, and national level.

“Ali is an exemplary longtime educator and a leader among her peers,” said Dr. Steve Canavero, Interim Superintendent of Public Instruction. “She has a remarkable ability to connect with students and make them feel welcome at school. I look forward to seeing what she will accomplish in her new role as Teacher of the Year.”

The Nevada State Teacher of the Year is chosen from nominated individuals who are then invited to apply.

After a rigorous application and interview process, finalists' materials – with identifying information redacted – were sent to Superintendent Canavero to make a final selection.

“The Clark County School District is incredibly proud to have Ms. Ali Jun represent us on the national level as she has truly earned this prestigious designation,” said Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of the Clark County School District. “Ali is a dedicated educator and a rockstar. Each day her passion for teaching and educating students is evident as she inspires students to be their very best. She epitomizes what it means to make CCSD the Destination District.”

"When I think of Ali Jun, two adjectives come to mind, which are passionate and fun for kids,” said Robert Hinchliffe, Principal of Tyrone Thompson Elementary School. “She makes every lesson incredibly engaging in many ways, and is beloved by both students and parents within our community. She has built our music and choir program from the ground up and her devotion to this field is unparalleled. Mrs. Jun is an excellent choice for Nevada State Teacher of the Year and will represent our state with the highest level of integrity!”

The finalists for the 2026 Nevada State Teacher of the Year are:

• Tara Auld, social studies teacher at Carson Valley Middle School (Douglas County School District)

• Scott Fieux, intermediate autism teacher at William R. Lummis Elementary School (Clark County School District)

• Jessi Gordon, teacher at Eureka Elementary School (Eureka County School District)

• Vasti Mejia, kindergarten teacher at Richard J. Rundle Elementary School (Clark County School District)

The National Teacher of the Year program is facilitated by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).

In 2021, Nevada's State Teacher of the Year, Juliana Urtubey, was recognized as the National Teacher of the Year.

More about Jun

Jun has been teaching in Nevada for more than 20 years. Currently, she’s the sole music educator for more than 900 students at Tyrone Thompson Elementary School.

Jun leads two choirs, produces full-scale musicals, and teaches a vibrant curriculum including music fundamentals, singing, dancing, percussion, recorders, ukuleles, and drumming.

She grew up watching her mother, a passionate and dedicated educator, and was inspired to follow in her footsteps.

Jun - a native of Buffalo, New York - earned a Master of Music Education degree from Syracuse University. She began her teaching career in a K-12 position in a small district on Long Island, New York.

After relocating to Las Vegas, Jun taught K-5 music at Aldeane Comito Ries Elementary School.

She was approached by school district leadership to help launch music programs at several new campuses. She became the founding music educator at Evelyn Stuckey Elementary School, Dr. Beverly S. Mathis Elementary School, and Tyrone Thompson Elementary School.

Over the years, Jun has received a number of awards, including the prestigious national Milken Educator Award (2021) and De Castroverde Law Group Teacher Appreciation Award (2024).

In 2023, she was awarded a key to Fort Scott, Kansas, while serving as a Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes fellow. This experience allowed her to collaborate with distinguished educators from around the world, including Ukraine’s Teacher of the Year.

Jun currently serves on the State Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Cabinet. She is also a Nevada Future of Learning fellow, a mentor to new educators, scholarship essay reviewer with the Public Education Foundation, and member of the Clark County Education Association and the National Association for Music Education.

Attachment

• Teacher of the Year ceremony (photos and videos will be added as they are processed)

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About the Nevada Department of Education

The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) leads and collaborates with Nevada’s 17 school districts and the State Public Charter School Authority to advance educational equity Statewide. With offices in Carson City and Las Vegas, NDE oversees all pre-K-12 education in the State, working to achieve its mission to improve student achievement and educator effectiveness by ensuring opportunities, facilitating learning, and promoting excellence. Under the leadership of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, NDE impacts the achievement of nearly half a million children and 30,000 educators. Learn more at https://doe.nv.gov/ and join us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.