Tate High’s Kristin Maum Places Second In Quarterfinals For ‘America’s Favorite Teacher’

April 20, 2025

A Tate High School teacher paced second in the quarterfinals of the “America’s Favorite Teacher” contest by the national magazine Reader’s Digest.

We first told you about Kristin Maum last week.

On other Escambia County teacher, Emerald Barton, advanced to the semi-finals. She is a kindergarten teacher at Navy Pointe Elementary.

About Kristin Maum

Maum admits she was a terrible student back when she was in school.

“I didn’t do my homework, I slept through class, but I was never disrespectful to my teachers—I just found school to be boring,” she said. “I decided to become a teacher so that no other students felt the way I did. I want students to love learning so much that they become lifelong learners. What inspires me most as an educator is the belief that every child can learn and deserves to feel known, valued, and inspired.”

“I love getting to work with kids on a daily basis—helping them fall in love with learning. In my class, we do whatever it takes to learn,” she said.

The Reader’s Digest contest will award the winner $25,000 and a trip to Hawaii. And if had won, Tate High would have received a school assembly from Bill Nye the Science Guy.

She had planned to use the $25,000 to pay off about $18,000 in medical debt that accumulated after she was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024 and began treatment. The remainder of the money she hoped would to go toward her son’s college tuition. He will be a freshman in the fall.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News