A second-grade teacher in the Schenectady City School District has been named the 2025 New York State Teacher of the Year.

Hamilton Elementary School teacher Colleen Keough has been with the district for 16 years. She’s described by her peers and colleagues as somebody who “exudes all that is right about dedicating a lifelong commitment to helping children and families.”

“Well, one of the things I’m big on is advocating for equity. I feel like your zip code shouldn’t matter – from different programs and things that people have,” she said. “I know schools are underfunded and I really feel like I want to use this platform to try to advocate for things that the students need,” she said.

Keough quotes youth advocate Josh Shipp in the motto she embraces as a teacher each day: “Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story.”