Concordia alumni named among 2024 Christian Teachers of the Year

Two Concordia alumni, Erin (Kruse) Seitz ‘04 and Mari (Buss) Koester ‘08, were recently named as Christian Teachers of the Year by the Herzog Foundation, an organization dedicated to furthering Christian education in the U.S.  

The 12 Christian Teachers of the Year are selected annually from among Christian educators of many denominations around the country. Honorees must be involved in Christian education from grades K-12 but can teach any subject or grade within. They must also have served in K-12 Christian education for at least one year, have plans to continue teaching and have demonstrated excellence in promoting Christian education to their students.  

Mari Koester teaches kindergarten at St. John’s Lutheran School in Denver, Colorado and conducts the K-2 “Cherub Choir.” She graduated from Concordia Nebraska with a B.S.Ed. in elementary education and has been faithfully serving St. John’s in Denver for the past 14 years.  

[At Concordia] I was given many different opportunities to worship with peers and faculty and connected with students and staff. That built a strong foundation for my core values as a Christian educator.

“Christian education is so important because it is one of the few places left where children can learn through a Biblical lens,” said Koester. “Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It is our call as Christian educators to guide our students to create a strong Biblical worldview and hold fast to it.”  

Erin Seitz teaches art courses to middle and high schoolers at Lincoln Lutheran in Lincoln, Nebraska. She earned her B.S.Ed. from Concordia Nebraska and has served at Lincoln Lutheran for the past eight years. She provides opportunities for kids to explore their interests in the visual arts, from 2D design to sculpture, painting and graphic design.  

Both Koester and Seitz also received their Lutheran Teacher Diplomas from Concordia, rendering them their status as commissioned teachers and church workers. Students at Concordia who wish to teach in a Lutheran school setting as a commissioned church worker must earn their LTD by taking courses in the Lutheran doctrine and confessions.  

Koester said that some of her “best memories” came from her time at Concordia.  

“Professors are committed and invested in helping students grow in their faith,” she said. “I experienced that in my time there as I was encouraged to grow in my personal faith walk, was given many different opportunities to worship with peers and faculty and connected with students and staff. That built a strong foundation for my core values as a Christian educator.”  

According to Herzog Foundation president Darrell Jones, the Christian Teachers of the Year are selected for their “remarkable dedication and innovative teaching methods” that further the state of Christian education in the United States. Teachers honored with this award have the chance to travel to Washington, D.C. this fall to engage in unique professional development opportunities and public acknowledgement of their contributions to Christian education.  

Concordia Nebraska’s education programs are designed to prepare graduates to embark on the journey of a teaching career in public or parochial school settings. With specializations for teaching students at all grade levels and in all subjects, as well as unique offerings like the LTD, International Teacher Diploma and Christian Teacher Diploma, future educators of all interests can find their place at Concordia. Learn more about undergraduate education programs here.