Kurgan Teacher of the Year 2026: The Contenders

The 35th city competition «Teacher of the Year — 2026» is being held in Kurgan. In three categories — «Educator of the Year», «Teaching Debut», and «Teacher of the Year» — 39 people are competing. Behind each name lies a personal success strategy in the modern school. A correspondent from 45.RU looked at which teachers are vying for victory in the «Teacher of the Year 2026» category.

Gymnasium No. 19

Gymnasium No. 19 has nominated a teacher who knows how to work systematically. Olesya Bazhina combines two demanding positions: primary school teacher and advisor to the director on education. For her students, Olesya Vyacheslavovna has become the trusted adult. At school she is called the «class mom», but behind this title lies, first and foremost, the ability to listen to a child and come to their aid in time.

Gymnasium No. 31

Gymnasium No. 31 is represented in the city competition by primary school teacher Tatyana Melnikova. She has 33 years of teaching experience and holds the title of Honorary Worker of Education and Enlightenment of the Russian Federation. Tatyana Vitalievna herself is constantly learning, picking up new things from online intensives, and looking for new creative techniques for her lessons.

School No. 7

For Kristina Kospakova, a math teacher at School No. 7, working with children is a creative search and constant movement. A math teacher with 20 years of experience, she is confident that to be an authority for modern children, a teacher must «keep up with the times».

Kristina Mikhailovna has developed an original program «Meta-subject Approach to the Formation of Natural Science Literacy Using Mathematical Methods» and is actively implementing individualized learning techniques. Outside of work, Kristina Kospakova leads an active life. She plays basketball and does athletics. Her schedule always has room for dancing, and at home, time for her two children.

School No. 9

Viktoria Suchkova, a primary school teacher at School No. 9, is a teacher in whom vast experience is combined with unflagging energy. In the professional community, she is valued for her ability to find unconventional solutions to difficult pedagogical situations and her talent for engaging children in learning.

School No. 22

School No. 22 is represented this year by primary school teacher Anna Lobkova. The teacher opens up an amazing world for children, educates them, gives advice, is proud of her students, and believes that their achievements are the teacher«s reward. Anna Sergeevna»s sporting achievements, confirmed by the gold GTO badge, speak of high efficiency and the ability to achieve results. She divides her free time between knitting, reading, puzzles, and active sports: basketball and cross-country skiing.

School No. 23

Teaching a foreign language today is not just about cramming rules; it is about teaching communication skills in a global world. Lina Khomushku, a foreign language teacher at School No. 23, understands that her subject is first and foremost a tool for expanding the horizons and opportunities of her students.

School No. 44

For Olesya Druzhinina, School No. 44 is not just a place of work, but a second home to which she has given 11 years of her life. An English teacher and homeroom teacher, she manages to combine teaching with active public work as deputy chair of the trade union committee. With such a workload, swimming and gardening help Olesya Viktorovna regain her strength.

School No. 48

Anna Makhova, a primary school teacher at School No. 48, is a teacher for whom responsibility and discipline are basic principles. Her active role as a public traffic safety inspector highlights an important trait. She cares about the safety and future of her students not only within the classroom walls but also beyond them.

School No. 49

Zhanna Makarova, a geography teacher at School No. 49, can explain complex topics simply. Where others see dry facts, her students find the logic of global processes. She is always ready to help her colleagues and is valued as an experienced mentor.

School No. 53

School No. 53 is represented by Alina Erokhina, a history and social studies teacher. She is only 28 years old, but she already combines teaching with the position of advisor to the director on education, having studied at the Russian Children and Youth Center and the Moscow Theological Academy. Despite her short tenure, Alina Aleksandrovna has already earned authority among colleagues. At the city pedagogical conference, she presented her experience working with children with disabilities. For the young teacher, history is not dry dates but a space for discussion. She teaches schoolchildren to argue their opinion, listen to others, and above all, be honest.

The city competition «Teacher of the Year» takes place in two stages. After the first trials, the jury will select five finalists who will continue to compete for the title of «Teacher of the Year».