Mom & Me, 2019

Kayla Dornfeld was named Mrs. West Fargo International this month.

The North Dakota International Pageant System showcases the accomplishments of today's married women, young women, and teens across North Dakota.

The mission of North Dakota International Pageant System is to make a difference. It has been developed to promote the accomplishments of today's married women, young women, and teens, as well as their commitment to family and marriage. Around the world, women of all ages are finding this system to be an opportunity to work with their family and community to become positive role models. Being the premiere pageant for married women, young women, and teens has given The International Pageant System a chance to open doors for all women around the world. The national event will give each contestant the opportunity to learn about customs and family life in other countries, along with the chance to share her beliefs and make new friends.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 28, 2019) – The NEA Foundation today announced that Kayla
Dornfeld, a Third Grade Teacher at Mapleton Elementary School in Mapleton, North Dakota is
one of 45 public school educators who will receive the prestigious California Casualty Award
for Teaching Excellence at the NEA Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Gala next
February in Washington, D.C.

The California Casualty Awards for Teaching Excellence awardees are nominated by their
peers for their dedication to the profession, community engagement, professional
development, attention to diversity, and advocacy for fellow educators.

Each year, the Salute to Excellence in Education Gala draws almost 1,000 supporters of public
education, and thousands more online, to applaud these awardees. At the gala, the educators
are truly the stars, celebrated throughout the night with music, performances, videos, and more.
“This year’s awardees are fulfilling the promise of public education in classrooms, schools, and
communities from coast to coast,” says Sara A. Sneed, President and CEO, the NEA
Foundation. “Each awardee has met a very high standard, and together, they are celebrated for
a shared commitment to educational excellence, innovative approaches to student learning,
and support for their peers. We are grateful to California Casualty for its recognition and
celebration of the very best in education, and we look forward to honoring the 2020 California
Casualty Awards for Teaching Excellence awardees.”

“We are proud to honor these exceptional educators and show our appreciation for their
incredible work” says Beau Brown, CEO, California Casualty. “The California Casualty awardees
exemplify educators’ ability to be a positive force in their students’ lives.”

Of the 45 state awardees who were nominated by their National Education Association state
affiliate, five finalists will be announced at the beginning of the school year and receive
$10,000 at the gala. The nation’s top educator will be revealed at the gala on February 7,
2020 and receive an additional $25,000. The gala will be livestreamed at neafoundation.org.
The NEA Foundation and the National Education Association jointly present the awards. Find
more information about the awards and a gallery of this year’s awardees.

As a classroom teacher and bonus mom of two incredible children, I’m always on the hunt for resources that can help me in my mission to raise kind, empathetic children. And, as the 2019 North Dakota Teacher of the Year, I’ll continue spreading the incredible importance of social emotional learning and relationships. Both are so interwoven with seeds of kindness. In my experience, relationships are a true indicator of successful classrooms. I spoke about it in my 2015 TEDx Talk, and on the TED blog highlighted here.