September 22, 2026

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Las Vegas educator Brooke Wheatley was named the 2027 Nevada State Teacher of the Year during a surprise ceremony on Tuesday.  

Wheatley, who teaches social studies at Valley High School in the Clark County School District, will represent the Silver State in the National Teacher of the Year program.  

“Great teachers do more than educate — they challenge their students, open doors to new opportunities, and give them the confidence to succeed,” said Governor Joe Lombardo. “Ms. Wheatley represents the very best of Nevada’s educators. Her innovative approach to teaching, commitment to her students’ well-being, and leadership in her school and community have made a lasting impact on countless young Nevadans. I’m proud to congratulate Ms. Wheatley on being named Nevada’s 2027 Teacher of the Year, and I know she will represent our state exceptionally well 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.    

“Brooke is an exemplary social studies teacher whose engaging, hands-on instruction helps her students build knowledge of the world and the confidence to navigate it.” said Dr. Victor Wakefield, Superintendent of Public Instruction. “Brooke’s excellence in the classroom has earned national recognition, and I’m proud she will represent Nevada in the National Teacher of the Year program.”    

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 Wakefield to make a selection.

“Delivering strong instruction and building connections with students are two of the most important aspects of effective teaching, and Brooke Wheatley has mastered them both,” said Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of the Clark County School District. “She is a tremendous advocate for every student on the Valley High School campus and goes above and beyond to support her school community. We are tremendously proud to have her represent the Destination District on the national stage.”

“Ms. Wheatley is positively impacting the lives of the students in our school,” said Kimberly Perry-Carter, Principal of Valley High School. “Over her 11 years here, she has built community partnerships and created a culture where students feel truly seen, valued, and supported. She’s the teacher that students come back and visit, she’s the teacher that they’ll always remember as their champion. We are proud to call her our own and grateful that she will represent Nevada.”

The finalists for the 2027 Nevada State Teacher of the Year are:

• Jason Bennett – Coral Academy of Science Middle School in Reno

• Nicole Easley – Spring Mountain Junior/Senior High School (Clark County School District)  

• Katie Emerson – Jesse Hall Elementary School (Washoe County School District)

• Kendra Tuttle – Carson High School (Carson City School District)    

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

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Teacher of the Year program in Nevada.

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

More about Brooke Wheatley

Wheatley is committed to removing obstacles for her students to ensure both academic and personal success. With 11 years at a Title 1/Tier 1 school, she has developed community partnerships to bring funding, resources, and mental health services to her students.

Wheatley moved to Las Vegas in 2015 and began teaching world history at Valley High School. She was invited to teach 12th grade history and Theory of Knowledge in the school’s International Baccalaureate (IB) magnet program.

She was also selected as one of five teachers to facilitate the credit recovery program to help students graduate on time.

Each year, Wheatley takes her IB seniors on a field trip to the Holocaust Museum LA and Manzanar National Historic Site. She writes a yearly grant to Jewish Nevada to provide the trip free of charge to her students.  

As one of 30 American educators selected for the Echoes & Reflections advanced learning seminar in Poland in July 2025, Wheatley expanded her Holocaust knowledge through visiting numerous concentration camps and historical sites.

Upon returning, she coordinated with Echoes, the Nevada Department of Education, and the Clark County School District to host professional learning for more than 90 educators.

Wheatley earned National Board Certification in 2020 and recertification in 2025. She was recognized by the National Institute for the Advancement of Education and UNLV to develop a mentorship program to encourage Clark County School District teachers to attain certification. Through evidence-based research, she designed a program pairing novice teachers with National Board teachers.  

Additionally, Wheatley was selected by the Gilder Lehrman Institute, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education, as Nevada History Teacher of the Year in 2021.

She earned the award for her exemplary ability to bring history to life for her students through engaging lessons such as trench warfare simulations and painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel like Michelangelo underneath their desks.

Wheatley was also recognized by The Smith Center in 2023 as a Heart of Education Award recipient.  

In 2023, Wheatley graduated from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Las Vegas Program. She joined the program to connect her students with community leaders.

She connected program classmates with the Angel Tree program at Valley High School to adopt students experiencing extreme economic hardships or homelessness, and purchase presents for them off their wish lists.

Wheatley’s community networks led to raising $30,000, the adoption of 80 students, and the facilitation of more than $80,000 in donations.

She also partners with Project 150 to have 30 student meal bags delivered weekly. Additionally, she is a certified Teen Mental Health First Aid Trainer for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and the Born This Way Foundation, helping to reduce stigma around mental health and raise suicide awareness at Valley High School.

Prior to moving to Las Vegas, Wheatley spent 11 years in informal education settings working as an outreach educator for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, teaching English in Spain, and working as a social worker for at-risk youth in Australia.      

Attachment

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

---

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.