ST. PAUL —  Austin High School instructor Arik Andersen is one of 167 candidates for Minnesota Teacher of the Year, according to Education Minnesota.

Andersen was named to the local honor in November 2017.

The number of candidates this year is the third-most in the 54-year history of the award, and the most since 1981.

This year’s program will name the 54th Minnesota Teacher of the Year, celebrating the tradition of excellence in teaching in Minnesota. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade and Adult Basic Education teachers, from public or private schools. Andersen is a English Language Learner instructor and has worked in Austin for 10 years.

The 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be announced Sunday, May 6, at the Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington.

Over the coming weeks, a 25-member panel of community leaders will name a group of semifinalists and finalists. The winner is then in competition for the National Teacher of the Year.

The annual recognition is organized and underwritten by Education Minnesota. The Minnesota Teacher of the Year program receives support from Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, McDonald’s Restaurants of Minnesota, Radisson Blu Mall of America, SMART Technologies and United Educators Credit Union.