A Chippewa Valley Schools teacher who routinely sends a postcard home to students with an encouraging message has been named the 2025 Educator of the Year, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Tuesday.

Kelly Heberholz, a science teacher at Dakota High School in Macomb Township, received the award and a $10,000 prize from the Michigan Lottery’s Excellence in Education program.

She becomes the first teacher from Macomb County to win in the lottery’s 11-year history of honoring outstanding educators, state officials said in a news release.

“For over a decade, Kelly has brought her A-game to the classroom, teaching students at Dakota High how to love science and work together to solve problems,” Whitmer said in the release.

“She is an exceptional campus leader, helping to pull together school-wide e

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