Haddonfield's Dickstein, NJ Teacher Of Year, Honored By State

HADDONFIELD, NJ — As the state begins its search for the next teacher of the year, last year’s New Jersey State Teacher of the Year was recently honored at the state house. Haddonfield Memorial High School English Teacher Kimberly Dickstein Hughes was named New Jersey's Teacher of the Year for 2019-20 in October. She was honored for her achievement on Monday.

“Greetings from the New Jersey State House!,” Dickstein wrote on Twitter. “Honored to be recognized by the New Jersey State Senate this morning and represent 200,000 educators in the Garden State. Let’s celebrate New Jersey’s public schools! #1 in the nation!”

Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. congratulated her on social media, to which Dickstein responded, “Thank you Lou! Nothing can beat the Camden County Freeholders meeting. Always nice to be home.”

“Kimberly Dickstein Hughes deserves every bit of recognition she has received for her ongoing efforts to educate and inspire her students. This Voorhees native stayed close to her roots by teaching students within her own county, and is now the first Camden County educator to receive this award,” Assembly Democrats Louis Greenwald and Pamela Lampitt (D-6) said in a statement. “She has changed the lives of countless teenagers through her work at Haddonfield Memorial High School over the past 11 years by encouraging her students to get involved in their community.

“By making community service and global citizenship key components in her classes, Kimberly has inspired the young people of our district to see themselves as a part of something bigger and work towards helping others.

“Kimberly herself has participated in various organizations and events related to youth, education and the community. For her efforts, she has received several awards throughout the years, including the Camden County Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Medal.

“We want to commend her for the impact she has had on our community and congratulate her on being named Teacher of the Year. Haddonfield is lucky to have her.”

Dickstein was named the state’s top educator after winning the Camden County Teacher of the Year last August. As Teacher of the Year, Dickstein works with the New Jersey state Department of Education, give presentations around the state highlighting her passion for education and drive for success. She will also attend national conferences with other teachers of the year from other states.

Dickstein, who grew up in Camden County, was motivated to go into public service while she was in high school, after losing her best friend to cancer, according to the Department of Education. Her friend's parents founded the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation to create teen lounges, activities and events for adolescents with life-threatening illnesses.

Dickstein was motivated to become a teacher, and she earned her bachelor's in English and Political Science from Rutgers College in 2008. She earned her master's degree in English Secondary Education from Rutgers University in 2009.

For the past 12 years as an English teacher at Haddonfield Memorial High School, she has made reading an active experience for her students, connecting assigned texts with performances and service activities.