Each year, the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (CUSF), honors a remarkable educator who exemplifies the very best of what it means to teach, lead, and serve. This year, that honor goes to Emily Walsh, Mathematics Instructional Coach at Champaign Central High School, as the recipient of the 2025 Mann-Hankel Teaching Excellence Award.
The Mann-Hankel Award (which includes a monetary component for the honorees unrestricted use) was established by Barbara Mann, who served for many years on the CU Schools Foundation Board of Directors and knows firsthand the importance of great teaching in the development of students. She not only served as Board Chair for CUSF but grew up in a family of educators. Barb and husband Steve Hankel raised two children who attended Unit 4 schools. Their award celebrates a tenured educator who demonstrates unwavering dedication, integrity, commitment to every student, a spirit of service, and instructional excellence. Emily Walsh embodies all these traits and more.
Since joining Champaign Central in 2014, Emily has left an indelible mark on both students and colleagues. Initially hired as a math teacher who exemplified dedication and commitment, she then proposed a plan to become an instructional coach dedicated to math, elevating not only student performance but impacting the culture of mathematics instruction district-wide.
Emily’s most notable contribution has been her transformative work introducing the Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) framework. Under her leadership, BTC has revitalized math instruction at Central, turning once passive classrooms into vibrant spaces of collaboration, problem-solving, and student agency. The results speak volumes: improved grades, greater student engagement, and more equitable access to success—especially for students who had previously struggled.
But Emily’s impact reaches far beyond academic metrics. She is widely admired by her colleagues for her kindness, calm presence, persistence, and generous spirit. As a coach, she leads with empathy and humility, creating safe, supportive spaces where teachers feel empowered to grow. “Her impact on my teaching has been transformative,” says fellow teacher and nominator Erin Bennett. Principal Joe Williams echoes this sentiment, calling her “a truly exceptional educator who has made a profound and lasting impact on Champaign Central High School.” Another nominator, Ryan Krows, adds, “Teachers have an inherent trust in Emily because she is widely known for her ability to make their classroom teaching better.” The nomination letters were resounding testaments to Emily’s philosophy of empowering both students and educators through collaboration, compassion, and excellence.
Emily is also expanding her reach beyond math. She has begun supporting science teachers—starting with biology—in integrating the same BTC strategies that have proven so effective in mathematics. This cross-disciplinary influence highlights Emily’s commitment to systemic excellence and her role as a catalyst for district-wide instructional improvement.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Emily Walsh for this well-deserved recognition. Her tireless dedication to education, her passion for empowering learners and teachers alike, and her relentless pursuit of excellence embody everything the Mann-Hankel Award was designed to honor.
We also offer sincere thanks to the Mann-Hankel family for their generous gift that supports the enduring belief in the power of great teaching. Their vision has created a meaningful way to recognize and retain outstanding educators in our community. If you or your family are passionate about public education and would like to explore the impact of using your gifts to strengthen Champaign-Urbana schools, we invite you to connect with us. Together, we can continue to lift up exceptional teachers and invest in the future of our students.
