(ABC 6 News) – A list of candidates is officially in for the 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year program. Of the 128 candidates who have been nominated this year, six of them are from school districts in southeast Minnesota. Those teachers are listed below:Laura Jertson, Austin Public SchoolsColleen Tentis, Kasson-Mantorville SchoolsLisa Thorson, Owatonna Public SchoolsRajaa Ali, Rochester Public SchoolsBridget Hinzmann, Rochester Public SchoolsBrittney Steine, Winona Area Public SchoolsAn independent review panel will work to narrow the field down to semifinalists, and then a group of finalists in March. The 62nd Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be honored at a banquet on May 3rd at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. Eligible candidates for the award include pre-k through 12th-grade, Early Childhood Family Education and Adult Basic Education Teachers, from public or private schools.