Polk County Public Schools will announce the 2024 Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year during the Inspire Awards on Nov. 9.

The invite-only event will be held at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Media are welcome to cover the event, and the show will also be livestreamed at www.youtube.com/polkcountypublicschools.

The Polk Education Foundation and PCPS’ Department of Public Relations & Strategic Partnerships collaborate to present the Inspire Awards.

During the event, finalists will be recognized with video tributes and receive sponsored gifts. The Teacher of the Year and School-Related Employee of the Year will receive cash prizes generously donated by MIDFLORIDA Credit Union and Jarrett Gordon Ford.

See the list of this year’s honorees at www.polkschoolsfl.com/inspireawards.  

Platinum sponsors for the event are MIDFLORIDA Credit Union and Jarrett Gordon Ford. Gold sponsors include: Aramark, BlueCross BlueShield of Florida, Boswell & Dunlap, Legoland Florida Resort, Mosaic, Publix Super Markets Charities and Tampa Electric Company.