QuickTake:

Nate Jackson, a social studies teacher at Willamette High School, has been honored as one of Oregon’s 17 regional teachers of the year. 

Nate Jackson has emceed athletic events with thousands in attendance. He still does that work now and then. But he’s more likely to be talking about history in front of a classroom of students at Willamette High School in Eugene.

His work in education has won him statewide recognition. The Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Lottery announced Nate Jackson as  one of Oregon’s 17 2026-27 Regional Teachers of the Year at a surprise announcement Wednesday, Sept. 23, at a staff meeting. The Oregon Teacher of the Year Program recognizes and honors teacher excellence. 

“It’s shocking because I never expected to win an award for teaching,” Jackson told Lookout Eugene-Springfield. “Each time I go to work, I work my hardest, like every other teacher, and I look to try to make lives better. So to win an award to be acknowledged for that in front of my colleagues, it was a pleasure.”

When he’s not teaching, Jackson has worked as an emcee for the University of Oregon Athletic Department for men’s basketball and football events. In Los Angeles, he also emceed women’s basketball events at the University of California.

Jackson still does freelance emcee work from time to time — he hasn’t given up the microphone entirely. But he’s fallen in love with teaching. 

When teaching history, he said, he tries to share multiple viewpoints, such as exploring the perspectives and experiences of Blacks, Latinos and women during the Great Depression. 

“My goal as a teacher is to not tell you what to think,” he said. “My goal as a teacher is to present you with evidence, and I’ll show you multiple perspectives, and I let you decide what to think based off of what you read from various perspectives.”

Regardless of whether he’s emceeing or teaching, the skills involve holding the attention of the audience. 

“When I got in front of the class for the first time, and I stood there and and I looked at all of these young high schoolers, I said to myself, ‘Wait a minute! This looks exactly like a crowd that I would present in front of, except instead of 60,000 (people), it’s 20,’’ said Jackson, who’s been teaching social studies at Willamette since 2019.

Jackson was nominated by a colleague who noted, “In the classroom, Nate builds strong relationships with students grounded in respect, humor, and high expectations. Students feel safe taking academic risks, asking questions, and expressing their perspectives.” 

“Ultimately, my goal is not just to teach history, but to help students better understand themselves, each other, and the world they are shaping,” Jackson explained in his nomination. “I believe learning becomes most powerful when students can see themselves in the world beyond the classroom.”

Regional Teachers of the Year are nominated by students, colleagues, administrators, friends or family members. Regional winners are identified through a local nomination, application and selection process facilitated by the 19 Education Service Districts around the state.

Applicants include testimonials and letters of support. A panel looks at qualities such as leadership, instructional expertise, commitment to equity, community involvement, understanding of educational issues and vision, according to a press release.

Through a partnership with the Oregon Lottery, each regional teacher of the year receives a $1,000 award and is a semifinalist for the 2026-27 Oregon Teacher of the Year, which will be announced later this fall.

“These are exceptional educators who inspire students daily across Oregon,” Oregon Lottery Director Mike Wells said in a statement. “We are honored to celebrate their dedication and the lasting impact they have on our students and families.”

If you want to nominate a teacher for the 2027-28 Oregon Teacher of the Year, visit oregonteacheroftheyear.org.

The 2026-27 Oregon Teacher of the Year will receive a $10,000 cash prize. Their school receives a $5,000 prize.

Last year, Springfield Public Schools special education teacher Sally Golden won the 2025-26 Oregon Teacher of the Year award.

Ben Botkin covers politics and policy in Lane County. He has worked as a journalist since 2003, most recently at the Oregon Capital Chronicle, where he covered justice, health and human services and documented regional efforts to combat fentanyl addiction. Botkin has worked in statehouses in Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma and, of course, Oregon. When he's not working, you'll find him road tripping across the West, hiking or surfing along the Oregon Coast.