Oregon’s 2025 Teacher of the Year

Congratulations to Bryan Butcher, Jr., Oregon’s 2025 Teacher of the Year!

Bryan Butcher, 2025 Teacher of the Year

Leading with Respect, Effort, and Snacks

Oregon Lottery is proud to sponsor the Teacher of the Year program, which rewards those who dedicate their lives to inspiring students every day.

Bryan is a dynamic middle school algebra teacher at Beaumont Middle School, where he’s widely known for his passion for education. Born and raised in Portland and the product of local public schools, he truly engages and identifies with his students and, most of all, understands their experiences.

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I found my niche with middle school math. I get to enjoy math, which I did as a student, and I get to help kids enjoy it, or at least, take away the anxiety from it.
— Bryan Butcher
Bryan Butcher, 2025 Teacher of the Year

The Name Game

Even students who have never sat in Bryan’s classroom know one thing about him: Spend time with him, and you’ll likely get a nickname. This unique moniker is just one more way that Bryan shows an emotional investment in his students — and he’s got real skill! Fellow teachers are amazed that the names are always original and never once repeated.

Growing In Community

In addition to teaching math, Bryan also provides leadership as the founder of Beaumont Middle School’s Black Student Union. Students meet in Bryan’s classroom during lunch, where he makes ramen with a series of electric kettles and facilitates conversation.

The group not only creates space for students explore their identity as Black youth in a predominantly white school but also helps the incoming sixth graders connect with older students and have more familiar faces in the hallways.

Previous Teachers of the Year

Oregon Teacher of the Year

Oregon Teacher of the Year

Oregon’s Teacher of the Year 2024

Oregon’s Teacher of the Year 2023

Ethelyn Talamud, Oregon 2022 Teacher of the Year

Oregon’s Teacher of the Year 2022

Nicole Bulter-Hooton

Oregon’s Teacher of the Year 2021

LOTTERY DOLLARS DOING GOOD THINGS IN YOUR COMMUNITY