Teacher of the Year

2026 Winner

Aurora Kolb

Germantown Central School

Teacher of the Year Application Download Application

Aurora Kolb has spent nearly two decades transforming life safety education into hands-on training that prepares students for real-world emergencies.

As a health and family and consumer sciences teacher at Germantown Central School, she teaches students through hands-on, applied learning.

She teaches Health 5/6, Health 7, Health 12, and FACS, covering CPR, AED use, first aid, choking response, fire safety, and emergency preparedness. Her work is informed by her background as an EMT, bringing authenticity and urgency to every lesson.

A standout activity is the “AED Relay,” a timed simulation in which student teams perform CPR, call 911, retrieve an AED trainer, and deliver a shock within two minutes. She has used similar experiential approaches for nearly 20 years.

Fire safety education begins in elementary grades with home fire escape plans developed alongside families. In middle school, students complete prevention-based projects on fire safety, poisoning, drowning, falls, and environmental hazards. Her “Protect Your Brain” project connects helmet and seatbelt use to brain anatomy and real-world injury prevention.

Kolb also serves as chair of the school safety team, coordinating CPR/AED and Stop the Bleed training and supporting districtwide emergency preparedness.

Through sustained innovation and leadership, she has made life safety education practical, engaging, and enduring.

Past Award Recipients