Of all the congratulatory events attended by Kelly Stomps, a music educator at Woodlake Elementary School in St. Tammany Parish and winner of Louisiana’s 2016 Teacher of the Year award, her moment on center field during the LSU vs. Arkansas game took the cake. A graduate of LSU and a member of the Tiger Band drum line 15 years ago, Stomps still can’t believe that all this celebration is meant for teachers who usually receive little more than a certificate and a monogrammed mug if they’re lucky.

But the generosity is not lost on her. Thanks to Dream Teachers, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting student achievement and celebrating teachers, she isn’t the only one benefitting from fundraisers and scholarships intended to give back to Louisiana schools and educators.

“Teachers know how important their job is, and they don’t do it for the praise,” says Ben Heroman, chairman of Dream Teachers. “But once you see the quality of the educators, it encourages you to do even more for them.”

To learn more about Stomps and what she has to say about the organization that honored her, check out the full article from our January issue, available on newsstands now.