NJ educator has been crowned ‘America’s Favorite Teacher’

📚 America has chosen its favorite teacher and he's from New Jersey

📚 The honor goes to a second-grade educator

📚 He encourages his students to always be curious

NEWARK — America’s favorite teacher is from New Jersey.

A second-grade teacher in Newark has been recognized for instilling a sense of curiosity in his students, which earned him the title of America’s Favorite Teacher by genetics and biosciences company Colossal.

The company chose Sussex Avenue School teacher Jonathan Koch, 31, as America’s favorite from thousands of educators from across the U.S. and Canada.

Koch, who was born and raised in Cedar Grove, was honored at a school assembly hosted by Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Nye handed Koch his award and was happy to hear about Koch’s influence on young minds, ABC 7 Eyewitness News reported.

“Getting people excited about science in second grade is a great value. I certainly was very excited about science when I was in second grade,” Nye told ABC 7.

Koch, who has been a teacher for four years, received a $25,000 check as part of his award.

"I like working with kids because the students keep me young, they keep me updated on the new world, and instead of complaining about our future I get to help shape it," Koch tells NJ 101.5.

He always tries to let his students know that it’s OK to fail. It’s a part of life. It’s what you do with that failure that’s important.

“It’s not the falling down that defines the person, but rather the way you pick yourself up and keep pushing forward. This is something I learned from snowboarding and skateboarding. It’s the trait of perseverance that I try to drive home with my students. With a little guidance from your favorite teachers, failing can be the best teacher,” Koch told us.

Congratulations to Mr. Koch.

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