Honoring Michigan K-12 teachers who’ve made a difference in the lives of their students, the Detroit Red Wings announced the winners of the Detroit Red Wings Teacher of the Month program, presented by Burns & Wilcox. One honoree was selected each month during the 2022-23 season from October–March, with over 700 nominations received during the 2022-23 season.

At the end of the program, fans had an opportunity to vote on the six honorees to determine who would become the 2023 Teacher of the Year. Each monthly honoree received two tickets to a previous Red Wings game, a personalized Teacher of the Month award, and a $1,500 classroom grant. The six honorees were invited back to Little Caesars Arena on March 30, 2023, where the Teacher of the Year was announced during a pregame gathering. 

“The Teacher of the Month program presented by Burns & Wilcox is a testament to the dedication and hard work of Michigan’s educators. We are proud to recognize the contributions these teachers make to their students and our communities,” said Kevin Brown, Director of Community Impact for Ilitch Sports and Entertainment. “Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees and especially to Ms. Dana Kronk, who was selected as the 2023 Teacher of the Year.”

Kronk, a first-grade teacher at Hillcrest Elementary in Dearborn Heights, MI, was awarded the Teacher of the Year award with over 3,700 of the nearly 10,000 votes. As the Teacher of the Year, Ms. Kronk received a $5,000 school grant for educational materials, a virtual DRW player meet-and-greet, and a classroom pizza party.

Ms. Kronk was recognized for her patience and ability to keep her classroom fun by using interactive learning to help students achieve their best results. She is known for turning even the most reluctant of learners into academic all-stars and being her students’ best cheerleader, supporter, and motivator.

The other teacher of the month honorees included Anthony Anderson, a Special Education teacher at Clarkston High School; Dominic Zelnik, a Lifestyle Teacher in the autism spectrum disorder program at Lincoln Park Middle School; Sabrina Lauinger, a Kindergarten teacher at Oak Ridge Elementary School; Sharon Valascho, an Art teacher at Miller Elementary School; and Ryan Barck, an alternative education teacher at the DiAnne Pellerin Center.