GRAND FORKS – Rich McFarlane, a theater arts and speech teacher at Red River High School, has been named the 2025 Teacher of the Year by the Communication, Speech and Theater Association of North Dakota.

McFarlane, who has taught and directed productions at RRHS for 19 years, is also a frequent presenter at area conferences and adjudicator for the statewide one-act play competition.

"It's an honor," McFarlane said. "There are so many great teachers out there and, specifically, great teachers of speech and theater. ... What's great is, that award was given to me by people that I look up to, and by people that teach me good things, too."

The CSTAND Teacher of the Year Award recognizes McFarlane's educational approach to teaching drama and his long-term commitment to excellence in the comm

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