When Destiny Hornstein looks back on her childhood, she recalls that school was often the one constant she could count on. Growing up in foster care, she did not always have stability at home, but she had teachers who gave her something else: hope. “School became a home for me,” she said. “I wanted to become a teacher to give back to kids what teachers gave back to me.”

That promise has shaped her entire career. Now honored as the 2026 Regional Teacher of the Year for NEWESD 101, she continues to model the compassion, perseverance, and courage she once found in her own classrooms.

Hornstein’s path to the classroom was anything but ordinary. After graduating from a small high school in the Tri-Cities, she attended Eastern Washington University and studied developmental psychology. A criminology course inspired her to look deeper into the justice system, leading to an internship at a women’s prison—the same one where her mother was incarcerated. She later earned a master’s in criminal justice from Washington State University and education certification in emotional and behavioral disorders from Walden University. Along the way, she became a certified grief recovery specialist, combining research on trauma with a personal understanding of loss.

She began her teaching career at a behavior school in Anchorage, Alaska, before moving back to Spokane in 2018. Since then, she has taught in Cheney and East Valley school districts, spending the past five years at East Valley. The work has always been personal. She remembers watching her younger brothers suspended for behavior struggles as early as kindergarten. “That’s when I knew I wanted to bridge the gap,” she said. “We can’t just focus on students; we have to understand and support families too.”

Colleagues describe Hornstein as someone who meets students where they are, no matter how challenging the behavior. She calls her philosophy simple: listen. “Listen to what they’re telling you, not just what they’re saying,” she explained. “Practice active listening and step back from judgment.”

Her approach combines empathy with high expectations. She encourages students to recognize their own strength through reminders like, “This is hard, but you do hard things.” For teachers entering the field, she emphasizes that motivation must come from within. “The why has to be about you, not somebody else,” she said.

In her classroom, innovation and connection go hand in hand. She has explored the Modern Classroom Project, which allows students to move at their own pace, mastering concepts before moving on. She also finds that something as simple as a board game can break down barriers. “Those moments of play can open doors to connection in ways traditional methods cannot,” she explained.

Collaboration, Hornstein believes, is the foundation of student success. She partners with general education teachers, families, and community agencies to ensure students have the support they need. “Open communication from the beginning is key,” she said. “We have to recognize adults as equal players in the game. No judgment.”

For the parent who nominated Hornstein for this award, her impact is clear. “Destiny not only supported my child when they were struggling, she supported me as a parent,” the nominator wrote. “She never judged, and she made us feel like we were part of the team. That kind of compassion is rare, and it changed everything for our family.”

Being named Regional Teacher of the Year feels “incredibly overwhelming,” Hornstein said. The honor is especially meaningful because it came from a parent who witnessed firsthand how she bridges the gap between school and home. “This recognition is not just about impacting kids, but about impacting families,” she said.

Hornstein’s work has always centered on connection. Her nominator described her as an educator who “goes into the trenches with students, listens without judgment, and shows families they are valued partners.” For Hornstein, that is the legacy she hopes to leave behind: classrooms where compassion is lived out daily and families feel seen and supported.

Her story is one of resilience and courage, and a reminder of what is possible when a teacher dares to turn challenges into opportunities. For the students who step into her classroom each day, she is proof that belonging is not just a promise, but a practice.

Overseen by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the Regional Teacher of the Year program recognizes excellence in teaching. Winners are selected by a committee based on nominations from peers, supervisors, students, and parents received by a regional coordinator at each of the state’s nine ESDs. While contending for the title of State Teacher of the Year, regional winners engage in year-long professional learning, leadership, and advocacy training, and meet with state and national education leaders.