Davis honored as 2026 Scottish Rite Award recipient

March 27, 2026

Alicia Davis was honored as one of Lincoln Public Schools’ brightest stars Friday morning with a shining surprise at Scott Middle School.
 
Scottish Rite Organization leaders announced that they had chosen Davis to receive the 2026 Scottish Rite Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award. Students, family and co-workers cheered as they gave Davis a large round of applause for her classroom legacy. The Scottish Rite Organization picked her because of her outstanding ability to engage and encourage students in math lessons and activities. The award is presented to one LPS teacher each year.
 
Davis said it was humbling to be selected as this year’s prizewinner. She told the audience that her top goal is to help students become successful.
 
“I look at all of the faces that are in this room, and you are the reason that your teachers show up every single day,” Davis said. “We show up because we see the potential in you. We know that you all are going to become the future leaders in this city, in this nation, in your schools. And so, when we look at you and we are pouring into you, it’s because we believe in you and the good that you are going to bring to this world. That’s why we do what we do every day.”

Lincoln Scottish Rite members developed an education committee in 1964 to recognize excellent classroom teachers. They also wanted to help inform the public of the vital roles that teachers play in educating youth. The organization honored its first Scottish Rite Award recipient in 1965. In addition to the recognition, the group also presents each award winner with $10,000.
 
LPS Superintendent John Skretta praised Davis for her caring, committed and compassionate approach to teaching. She has led math classes at Scott since 2013 and has served eight years as secretary of the Nebraska Association of Teachers of Mathematics (NATM). Davis earned the 2017 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) for her innovative ways of sharing math concepts with students.
 
“The recipients of this prestigious honor are truly amongst the Mt. Rushmore of LPS teachers,” Skretta said. “You are the most influential and impactful teachers to walk the halls and inhabit the classrooms of this incredible district. You are exceptional and deserve this most special recognition!”
 
Scott Middle School Principal Jesse Tvrdy nominated Davis for her work ethic, leadership skills and dedication to students. Davis, who is a National Board Certified Teacher, chairs Scott’s math department and has become a trusted mentor to many people in the building. She has served on school improvement teams, advised multiple student teachers, built support plans for students and encouraged all of the Stars who enter her classroom.
 
“In my over 17 years of administration, I have yet to meet anyone whom I could trust, believe in, honor, appreciate, admire, depend on, look to or trust more than Mrs. Davis,” Tvrdy said. “She is a diamond not only for Scott Middle School, but for every student and child that crosses paths with her.”

 
Scott Assistant Principal Annie Leaf and fellow math teacher Holly Noser said Davis inspires students to be their best. She has created memorable activities like Bungee Barbie, which have helped many Stars learn math concepts like linear equations, data associations and slope calculations. She has integrated technology into her classrooms, provided extra help to students before and after school and ensured everyone feels welcomed and respected.
 
“Alicia goes above and beyond to put students first, never giving up on any of them,” Leaf said. “She works tirelessly to build positive relationships with students and their families, collaborating with them through constant communication. Alicia’s classroom is innovative, utilizing research-based techniques that are creative and tap into multiple intelligences. In her classroom, there is 100-percent engagement from bell to bell.”
 
“Alicia is an absolutely top-notch educator,” Noser said. “She has an incredible talent for making math make sense. Her ability to write math tasks to help students understand math at a deep conceptual level while making it interesting and attention-grabbing is next to none.”
 
Those leadership talents have also affected fellow staff members. Davis has developed professional learning resources used both inside and outside of the math department. She has also been intentional about welcoming new colleagues with open arms.

 
Kate Pittack has worked at LPS since 2016 and is a school counselor at Scott. She said Davis’ kind and generous personality made her feel confident and comfortable in her new role.
 
“As a colleague, she was one of the first people I connected with when I started at Scott,” Pittack said. “She took time to get to know me and help me understand the processes within the building. She is a true teacher in every sense of the word, walking alongside me during my first year.”
 
Davis has also made an impact far beyond Scott’s walls. She directly influenced thousands of Nebraska students as a member of the State of Nebraska Mathematics Standards Revision Writing Team in the 2014-15 and 2021-22 school years. She has served on the State of Nebraska Mathematics Item Writing Team and has been involved with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Robert Noyce Master Teaching Fellows Program. She has also presented her insights to statewide organizations like the Nebraska Educational Technology Association.
 
Davis said students are the reason for spending that time and energy. She wants to ensure they are equipped with all of the necessary tools to thrive in their daily lives.
 
“They give us hope for all that is good and all that they’re going to carry into the world,” Davis said. “When I come to school, I am coming to do whatever I can to inspire them to become the best versions of themselves.”

 
LPS Associate Superintendent for Human Resources Vann Price said those heartfelt words were bright examples of how Davis has helped Scott in her award-winning career.
 
“That just sealed the deal in terms of making me know for sure she was the right person for this award,” Price said. “It’s one thing to have prepared remarks, but it’s another thing to be able to get up and speak just from your heart, and so you can tell just in how she was reacting that teaching is in her heart and students are in her heart.”

Join us for a special celebration honoring 2026 Scottish Rite Distinguished Teacher of the Year Alicia Davis on Friday, April 24, at 4:15pm at the Steve Joel District Leadership Center. 
 
Learn more about past Scottish Rite Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award recipients on our website.
 
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