MEDIA RELEASE: RSU 16 Choral Music Teacher Julia Edwards Named 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year

2026 Maine Teacher of the Year Julia Edwards is a choral music teacher at Bruce Whittier Middle School and Poland Regional High School.

Poland, MAINE—The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Educate Maine are excited to announce Bruce Whittier Middle School/Poland Regional High School choral music teacher Julia Edwards as the 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year. On Thursday, October 16, 2025, Edwards celebrated this award with fellow RSU 16 educators and students during a surprise ceremony in the Poland Regional High School gymnasium.

“Congratulations to Julia Edwards on earning this well-deserved recognition as 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year!” Pender Makin, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education, said. “Her enthusiasm for music and its ability to serve as a connector across cultures and differences is remarkable, and her gift for extending that love of the arts to her students is admirable. Maine is lucky to have Julia representing and advocating for educators statewide throughout the next year.”

Hundreds of educators across the state were nominated for the 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year process. In May, Edwards was selected as the 2025 Androscoggin County Teacher of the Year, alongside 15 other County Teachers of the Year. In August, Edwards became one of four state finalists before she was ultimately named 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year.

“Music is at the root of some of the best learning in history. Try to summon up the elementary lessons that have stuck with you, and you’ll often find them attached to rhythm or song. As a community, we find our shared humanity through music. It builds bridges; it spans generations and cultures; and it holds power for positive change,” said Julia Edwards, 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year. “We are fortunate that, in addition to living in a state filled with stellar educators, we can also celebrate Maine’s music programs that serve both their students and communities.”

Edwards is the choral music teacher at RSU 16’s Bruce Whittier Middle School and Poland Regional High School in Poland. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, where she studied oboe and served as a teaching fellow for the Children’s Chorus of Springfield. She returned home to Bridgton after graduating college to teach elementary music in North Conway, New Hampshire for two years before accepting her current position in the fall of 2012. 

Edwards’ leadership experience at Poland Regional High School includes coordinating the “Roundtable” grade-level advisory program and serving as coordinator for the all-virtual learning program during the hybrid school year. As an advocate for professional collaboration, she served on the District Professional Learning Committee, where she proposed and co-created RSU 16’s annual district-wide conference. She finds the most joy, however, in working with her students. Edwards believes that all students deserve access to an excellent music education, regardless of their background, identity, or geographical location. Cultural curiosity and musicianship are at the core of her teaching philosophy, and she has worked to create many intercultural and intergenerational experiences for her students and community.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Edwards has served as a guest clinician and manager for district and state festivals in Maine and has presented on pedagogical topics for state, regional, and national conferences. She recently moved into the role of president for the Maine chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, where she is working to expand community singing opportunities throughout the state. As an advocate for cultural curiosity, Edwards has designed a Cultural Context Curriculum, which helps students to develop tools for ethically and enthusiastically exploring the world around them, as well as skills to be better world citizens. She believes music and community are synonymous, and she loves participating in the music community as a listener and performer. 

Outside of teaching, Edwards enjoys skiing, cross-stitching, playing concerts with her folk band, “Bold Riley,” and exploring the Maine outdoors with her husband, two children, and rowdy dog, Baxter.

Read this article to learn more about Edwards: A Day with Julia Edwards: Celebrating a 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year Finalist and Beloved Choral Educator

The Maine Teacher of the Year Program is a year-long process that involves educator portfolio and resume submissions, interviews, oral presentations, and classroom visits made by a selection panel comprised of Maine State Board of Education members, school administrators, Maine DOE staff, legacy Maine Teachers of the Year, and Maine business partners.

“I want to offer a huge congratulations to Julia Edwards for being named the 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year,” said Jason Judd, Ed. D., executive director of Educate Maine. “This recognition honors Julia’s innovative practice, her enthusiasm for the work, and her unique connection to her students. In her classroom, Julia demonstrates every day what it truly means to be a teacher of impact.”

As 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year, Edwards will spend her year of service advocating for students and teachers and speaking about the importance of education in preparing Maine’s next generation of leaders for the future. She will also represent Maine in the National Teacher of the Year program.

“Julia is about to have one of the most meaningful years of her life,” said Becky Hallowell, the 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year. “Mainers are fortunate to have Julia representing them. She has a gift for reaching out to all to celebrate the joy that music brings to us all. Julia’s natural generosity of spirit indicates that the entire community will be lifted and celebrated while she serves as the 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year.”

“Anyone who has seen Julia in action knows that her classroom is a place filled with laughter, learning, and genuine connection. She is the teacher who every student remembers—the one who believes in them, challenges them, and helps them discover their confidence,” said Amy Hediger, superintendent of RSU 16. “We could not be more proud that Maine has recognized what our community has long known: Julia Edwards is extraordinary.”

The Maine Teacher of the Year program is administered by Educate Maine, a business-led advocacy organization, in partnership with the Maine DOE, the Maine State Board of Education, and the Maine County and State Teachers of the Year Association. Funding for the program is generously provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Unum, Hannaford Supermarket, Geiger, Maine State Lottery, and the Silvernail family.

For more information about the Maine Teacher of the Year program, visit mainetoy.org.