HUBBARD (WKBN) — You may have heard of area awards like Mahoning Valley Young Professionals 25 Under 35 or the Greatest Golfer, but now a new recognition is putting the spotlight on local educators.

An event is planned for March at the Eastwood Event Center that will honor educators in the Mahoning Valley.

Mahoning Valley Educator of the Year was the brainchild of Hubbard art teacher Josh MacMillan. He said that one night he was sitting at the Mahoning Valley Young Professionals event and thought teachers needed something like that.

The whole idea, MacMillan said, is appreciating those who don’t seek recognition but dedicate themselves to giving every child a chance to succeed.

“We can honor coaches, business people and others and I thought we need to honor my coworkers — teachers, too,” MacMillan said. “From there I got to brainstorming. I got a hold of Guy Coviello at the Chamber and pitched him, and he said I think businesses would support it,”

From there, the Chamber hit the ground running and MacMillan started working on getting districts involved. With the support of the Trumbull County Educational Service Center, he reached out to all 50 districts in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, and 32 responded with a candidate for Educator of the Year.

The following teachers will be recognized at the March event:

— Mandy Moore, Columbiana Exempted Village School District

— Sandra (Sandy) Walker, East Palestine School District

— Gina Kingston, ESC of Eastern OH

— Randy Rodik, Leetonia Exempted Village School District

— Donna Greer, Mahoning County Career and Technical Center

— Leann Laure, Sebring Local School District

— Diane Krumpak, South Range Local School District

— Amy White, United Local School District

— Abbie Millard, West Branch Local Schools

— Laura Baird, Western Reserve Local School District

“We were going to have a night where the best educators were honored for the night — one teacher from each school,” Macmillan said. “This is a long-term thing. The ultimate goal is to have all 50 out of 50 there.”

All educators selected from their districts will receive a red marble apple on a pedestal. Then one teacher will be named Mahoning Valley Educator of the Year.

Other awards that night will go to the following categories:

— Early Educator of the Year – K-6

— Secondary Educator of the Year – 7-12

— Young Educator of the Year – An educator with less than 10 years of experience

— Golden Educator of the Year – An educator with more than 20 years of experience

A panel made up of a representative from YSU and other professionals in education selected the overall winner based on the educator’s biography and letter of appreciation.

This is the first year for Mahoning Valley Educator of the Year, but MacMillan said it won’t be the last. In fact, he is hoping that support grows and that teachers will be offered a monetary award that will help fund projects in their classrooms.

“I’d like to get to the point that local businesses are so supportive that not only do the educators get that extra prestige, they can get an award of $3,000 for the classroom to do projects they want to do, and they won’t have to spend their own money for supplies,” MacMillan said. “When we start giving money back to the classroom, that is the perfect picture.”

MacMillan has been teaching in Hubbard Schools for 20 years. He is humble about his big plans to honor his colleagues and optimistic that support for the event will grow so that everyone is recognized.

“I’m just an art teacher, a humble guy that lives in Niles. I just think a lot of people I work with don’t get the pats on the back they deserve. I just think those people ought to have a night,” MacMillan said.

MacMillan said the event continues to look for sponsors. More information can be found on the Regional Chamber website as well as reaching out to MacMillan at macmillanj@hubbard.k12.oh.us. He said they are accepting sponsors all the way up to the night of the event and for next year, too.

“I want everyone leaving that night to feel like they matter,” MacMillan said.

The Mahoning Valley Educator of the Year dinner is scheduled for March 18 from 6-9 p.m. at the Eastwood Event Center.