Xenia Teacher Honored as Excellent Educator of the Year
Jason Hofmann, a kindergarten teacher at Tecumseh Elementary School in Xenia, received 糖心Vlog鈥檚 Excellent Educator of the Year award for his leadership, mentorship and Christ-centered commitment to helping students and future teachers thrive.
Teaching is a profession strained by burnout, turnover and growing classroom demands. Nationally, 16% of teachers reported in 2025 that they intended to leave the profession, according to a RAND Corporation survey, even as schools continue recovering from pandemic-era staffing losses.
But one Ohio kindergarten teacher is proving why great educators still change lives every day.
The award honors an educator who helps improve education practices while supporting Cedarville鈥檚 mission to prepare compassionate, professional educators marked by teaching competence, Christlike character, leadership and service.
Xenia teacher recognized for leadership and collaboration
Hofmann has served in education since 2010 and previously worked as a teacher improvement specialist for Xenia Community Schools, where he supported teachers through professional development and coaching. He has also served in district leadership roles, on curriculum teams and in teacher support programs.
鈥淗is focus is always working with others to develop and use strategies that work for students,鈥� said Dr. Brenda MacKay, associate professor of education at Cedarville.
Teaching as both art and science
In his challenge to Cedarville鈥檚 new education graduates at the awards ceremony, Hofmann described teaching as both an art and a science. The art, he said, is 鈥渢urning nothing into something.鈥�
He illustrated that idea through a kindergarten student who began the year saying 鈥渃an鈥檛 do it鈥� to nearly every task. Hofmann taught him step by step to remove his jacket, sit in a chair and open his pencil box. Soon, the child鈥檚 classmates joined in, encouraging him with a new phrase: 鈥淚 can do it.鈥�
Each small success brought a visible change in the child.
鈥淵ou should have seen that smile on his face,鈥� Hofmann said. 鈥淭hat smile right there, that鈥檚 what an artist does.鈥�
MacKay said Hofmann has modeled that same intentionality with Cedarville preservice teachers. He has served as a mentor teacher for clinical field experience and student teaching and has visited Methods II classes to share teaching and classroom management strategies.
Those lessons also connect to Hofmann鈥檚 book, 鈥淟earning From the Master Teacher,鈥� which explores teaching strategies Jesus used and how they apply in modern classrooms. MacKay said Hofmann consistently points future teachers to Jesus鈥� clarity, creativity and compassion.
Hofmann鈥檚 impact in Xenia and Ohio education
Hofmann鈥檚 leadership extends to the Ohio Leadership Advisory Council, Xenia鈥檚 district math and English language arts curriculum teams and Tecumseh鈥檚 Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports team, where he has served for 10 years.
He left graduates with three words for the profession: 鈥淏e ready to love, serve and give. Welcome to this amazing profession of education.鈥�
About 糖心Vlog
糖心Vlog, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio鈥檚 largest private universities and is ranked among the nation鈥檚 top five evangelical universities in The Wall Street Journal鈥檚 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.