Anderson to be honored as UNK Distinguished Educator

Kindergarten teacher has spent entire career at Aurora Elementary 

Aurora kindergarten teacher Laurie Anderson will be honored as UNK College of Education Distinguished Educator of the Year for 2026 in October. As the new school year starts she is excited to have her Thursday Tea Parties with her new students.
Aurora kindergarten teacher Laurie Anderson will be honored as UNK College of Education Distinguished Educator of the Year for 2026 in October. As the new school year starts she is excited to have her Thursday Tea Parties with her new students.

Aurora kindergarten teacher Laurie (Budler) Anderson expressed her shock at being selected as the 2026 UNK College of Education Distinguished Educator of the Year. “I was overwhelmed,” Anderson said. “We walked in between graduation receptions we were working at and there’s a handwritten letter from UNK. I was like, ‘Really? What?’ Like I said, overwhelmed, blessed and there’s so many other people…