Traverse City Teacher Wins Michigan Lottery Excellence in Education Award

Liz Lautner, a first grade teacher at Courtade Elementary in Traverse City Area Public Schools, was honored on December 10, 2025 as the Michigan Lottery Excellence in Education weekly award recipient. The prize includes $2,000 and puts Lautner in the running for a larger statewide award to be decided at year end. Lautner was nominated by a student family, who cited her dedication to student growth, her extra effort beyond the classroom, and her leadership within the school community.

The award places a spotlight on the day to day work of early elementary teachers in Grand Traverse County at a time when schools face tight budgets and competing demands for resources. A $2,000 infusion is small relative to district operating budgets, yet it can be consequential at the classroom level, covering supplemental materials, small group interventions, student enrichment activities, or professional development that benefits many students. Local educators say community recognition can also help attract and retain teachers by signaling community value for classroom contributions.

For parents and taxpayers the recognition serves as both a celebration and a reminder. It celebrates a teacher whose methods and outreach impressed a family enough to initiate a nomination. It also highlights how families and local stakeholders can amplify classroom impact through acknowledgment and modest private support. The nomination and award process channels public attention toward practical classroom needs and teacher leadership that often goes unseen.

Looking ahead, Lautner remains eligible for the larger statewide prize at the end of the year, which would bring further attention and resources to Courtade Elementary and the Traverse City Area Public Schools. In the near term the award provides Lautner flexibility to address immediate classroom priorities, and for the wider Grand Traverse County community it creates an opportunity to rally around public education successes and to discuss how small targeted investments can improve student outcomes.