For the City Times

CENTRAL WISCONSIN – Lincoln High School and Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School music teacher, Julie Stoffel has been named the 2020 Skyward Central Wisconsin Teacher of the Year.

Stoffel has been teaching in central Wisconsin for 25 years, in Marshfield, Nekoosa, Plainfield, and Wisconsin Rapids. More recently, she taught at Assumption Catholic Schools from 2011-2016 and has been in Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools since 2016.

“Julie is a phenomenal educator who has grown the choral program over her years at LHS,” said Lincoln High School Principal Ron Rasmuessen. “Her dedication to her students, support of our music and theater programs, and willingness to expose our students to collegiate experiences is exemplary. We are proud to have Julie recognized by Skyward and the Rafters.”

Julie and her husband, Jeff , have two beautiful girls, Elaina and Scedra.

 The Rafters and Skyward will hold the Seventh Annual Educator Appreciation Night at Witter Field on June 23. The first fans through the gate will receive a Rosco Swoonatra bobblehead. As part of the evening, the Rafters and Skyward will present Stoffel with a bobblehead created in her likeness to commemorate the Teacher of the Year honor. The team will also display a Stoffel bobblehead in Skyward’s Educator Wall of Fame at the ballpark, and she will be recognized prior to the game by throwing out a first pitch. In addition, Stoffel and the essay winners who nominated her will receive tickets to attend the game, courtesy of Skyward.

To facilitate the selection of the teacher, the Rafters held an essay contest for students K-12 across central Wisconsin during the months of November and December. All students were encouraged to nominate a teacher who they felt has made a positive impact on their life and write an essay on the reason as to why this teacher deserved to be recognized as the Skyward Central Wisconsin Teacher of the Year.

This year the Rafters received nearly 300 submissions from students throughout central Wisconsin. Over 110 teachers from Adams-Friendship, Marshfield, Nekoosa, Plover, Port Edwards, Stevens Point, Waupaca, and Wisconsin Rapids were nominated.