Former Merrill resident, Melanie Tlusty, was recently honored at the White Bear Lake School District’s Teacher of the Year Finalist Celebration. This Minnesota school district of 9,000 students honors six of its nominated teachers yearly.
Melanie was introduced to the gathering by 6th grade student, Arianna Vann-Cook. In her remarks, Arianna expressed why she believed Tlusty received the White Bear Lake Teacher of the Year Finalist Award.
“Miss Tlusty is my favorite teacher and I hope you can see why she deserves this honor so much. Her love and care for her students, and her heart, make her my teacher of the year,” Arianna said.
Melanie is a 2008 graduate of Merrill High School and a 2013 graduate of UW-River Falls. She has been employed for the past four years with the White Bear Lake School District, teaching K-5 music for three years and middle school choir for the past year. She also taught choir at SkyView Middle School in Oakdale, MN for one year.