The big picture: Dr. Melyssa Ferro, a science educator at Syringa Middle School and Idaho Education Association board member, is one of only five national finalists for the 2026 Horace Mann for Teaching Excellence award. The award is one of the top honors in public education.
What IEA is saying: “This is truly a massive honor, and Dr. Ferro is so deserving — not only is she an innovator committed to pushing new possibilities in the classroom, but she is a true leader within IEA,” said IEA President Layne McInelly. “It’s a rare honor to reach the top five, and it demonstrates Dr. Ferro’s skills and the respect she has earned among her fellow educators.”
Why she was chosen: The five finalists were selected by a panel of experts and chosen for their expertise, leadership, advocacy, commitment to equity and diversity, community engagement and support for fellow educators.
- Earning a spot in the top five is quite a process — and prestigious. Ferro was first selected as one of 48 nationwide recipients of the Travelers Insurance Awards for Teaching Excellence. She then earned a spot as one of the five finalists for the Horace Mann award. If she is chosen from among those five, she will be the recipient of the NEA Member Benefits Award, the highest honor offered by the NEA Foundation.
What happens next?: Dr. Ferro will receive $10,000 and a mini-documentary about her will play at the NEA Foundation Salute to Excellence in Education Gala on Feb. 13, 2026. IEA will learn whether one of their own will take home the NEA Member Benefits Award at the gala, which will take place in Washington, D.C., and is one of NEA’s signature events.
