A Chippewa Valley Schools teacher who routinely sends a postcard home to students with an encouraging message has been named the 2025 Educator of the Year, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Tuesday.

Kelly Herberholz, a science teacher at Dakota High School in Macomb Township, received the award and a $10,000 prize from the Michigan Lottery’s Excellence in Education program.

She becomes the first teacher from Macomb County to win in the lottery’s 11-year history of honoring outstanding educators, state officials said in a news release.

“For over a decade, Kelly has brought her A-game to the classroom, teaching students at Dakota High how to love science and work together to solve problems,” Whitmer said in the release.

“She is an exceptional campus leader, helping to pull together school-wide events that connect students to the community. I’m so grateful for educators like Kelly who not only prepare the next generation for the rest of their lives but also embody values everyday that we should all aspire to live up to.”

Herberholz, 34, teaches science and is currently an administrative team intern at Dakota, which is part of Chippewa Valley Schools. She has spent her entire 12-year career in education at the school, located on 21 Mile and Heydenreich roads.

According to the release, she said when deciding what career to pursue, education “just made perfect sense to me.” She added teaching young people allowed her to combine her love for science, leadership and serving her community.

“I love the analytical aspects of science and the opportunity to experiment and use problem solving skills,” Heberholz said. “I also love collaborating and working with others towards a common goal. Teaching is the perfect opportunity for me to work with young people, share my passion for science, and guide students in working towards their goals.”

Suzanna Shkreli, the state’s lottery commissioner, recently visited Dakota to present Herberholz with the award.

Calling her a “beloved educator” at Dakota High School, Shkreli said “the emotion in the room when she received the award was overwhelming and a testament to all of the work Kelly puts in to prepare her students for success. Coming from a family of educators, Kelly has a deep-rooted passion for education and preparing students for life after they graduate.”

Dakota High School Principal Kevin Koskos agreed.

“What Kelly has meant to Dakota High School over the course of the past 12 years is almost impossible to completely chronicle,” he said, adding she has become a “tremendous” role model for the school’s students and staff.

Herberholz earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State University. She has been an educator for 11 years, all in her current position.

She was nominated by an unidentified colleague on the Dakota staff who said what makes Herberholz stand out above other excellent teachers is “her commitment not only to her students in chemistry and AP chemistry but in her work to establish a positive school culture both inside and out of her classroom.”

She is known to send a postcard home with a positive or encouraging note to each of her 120-plus students. She greets students at the door as they enter her classroom every day, the colleague said.

The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence in Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.