Submitted by Noblesville Schools
Noblesville Schools has named three educators as 2026 Teachers of the Year. Nominations were open to all staff members, and district leaders evaluated and selected the honorees.
The winners are:
Kristina Trusty
Kindergarten Teacher, Hinkle Creek Elementary (elementary winner and overall district winner)
Known as a strong team player who thrives on teaching her students important life lessons, Trusty’s classroom is full of stories, academic challenges, patience, and love. Her calm, motherly approach is for adults, too, making her particularly successful in building strong relationships with families. Whether she is championing morale-building activities for her colleagues or launching a community-wide non-profit to address food insecurity, her positive attitude, high expectations, and kind heart make a huge impact on her students and the Noblesville community at large.
Kristen Durst
Language Arts Teacher, Noblesville West Middle School (middle school winner)
Kristen’s outstanding expertise, high expectations, and focus on relationships has led to significant academic growth for students of all backgrounds and abilities. Her students develop communication, collaboration, and analytical skills needed for future success through engaging reading, writing, speaking, and critical thinking tasks. She is the respected leader of her department and is passionate about her own learning and sharing best practices with her colleagues. Her mentorship, vision, and focus on putting students first advances the overall success and culture of her school.
Caroline Hays
Art Teacher, Noblesville High School (high school winner)
In Hays’s classroom, students connect learning to the wider world through opportunities she facilitates with professional artists and the Noblesville community. Whether creating new student-led art installations to beautify her school, securing grant funds to support the arts, or partnering with school clubs for artist nights, she lives and breathes academic excellence and care for her students. A highly acclaimed artist herself, she is an expert in her field and is always looking for the next great idea to enrich student learning experiences.
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Selection focused on master teachers who excel at putting Noblesville Schools’ mission and vision into action and whose accomplishments align well with the Indiana Department of Education’s state Teacher of the Year criteria. The winners regularly demonstrate the highest levels of quality instruction for their students and leadership among their peers.
This year’s elementary school winner, Kristina Trusty, was further distinguished as the overall Noblesville Schools district winner and will participate in the state Teacher of the Year competition.
Noblesville Schools employs approximately 700 teachers.
