By Jud Fisher, President/CEO, Ball Brothers Foundation—
MUNCIE, IN – On the 120th day of school, the first-graders in Maleah Parrish’s classroom are on a mission. Armed with invisible ink pens and yarn laser beams, they follow clues at a series of stations incorporating STEM, language arts, social skills, and teamwork to rescue Zero the Hero. It’s lively. It’s a little chaotic. And it’s exactly the kind of day Parrish hopes her students remember for years to come.
This kind of creative, purposeful, hands-on learning is what makes Parrish’s classroom such a special place and is one of many reasons she has been selected as this year’s winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award from Ball Brothers Foundation. Now in its 12th year, the annual award—which includes grant money for the winner’s district ($5,000), school ($5,000), classroom ($5,000), and professional development ($2,500)—is presented to one Delaware County teacher who inspires both students and colleagues alike.
Parrish, a first-grade teacher at Daleville Elementary School, has spent 13 years creating a classroom where even the youngest learners are practicing the skills they’ll need to thrive far beyond first grade.
Every day in her classroom begins with a morning meeting, where students greet one another by name and make eye contact, helping them build confidence, empathy, and communication skills. A thoughtful daily question gets them talking about real-life social situations, listening closely, and thinking critically together.
Throughout the day, Parrish builds on that foundation with a balanced approach to teaching—combining research-based instruction, hands-on activities, and the use of technology. Whether students are working with STEM building materials during morning tubs or digging into animal research projects using leveled books and Google Docs, every activity is designed to be both academically challenging and developmentally appropriate.
Her reading instruction follows the Science of Reading, incorporating phonics, manipulatives, movement, and small-group games that make learning fun and multisensory. But learning in Parrish’s classroom doesn’t stop at the door. She regularly takes her class outside to explore the school’s Outdoor Learning Lab. This gives Parrish the chance to reinforce concepts learned in the classroom by giving students the opportunity to engage with the content in a new setting. She believes the natural world is a powerful tool for deepening learning and keeping students engaged.
“Teaching and learning goes beyond academics. It’s about developing character—helping students build resilience, responsibility, and respect for themselves and others,” she explains. “At the first-grade level, it’s essential to keep the learning process fun and engaging to ignite curiosity and a love of learning early on.”
Parrish plans to use a portion of the funds from the award to attend training in Kagan Structures, a professional development program focused on creating cooperative learning environments.
“Maleah Parrish exemplifies what this award is all about—creative instruction, a deep commitment to continually refining her teaching practices, and an innovative mindset about preparing students with 21st century skills,” said Jud Fisher, president and CEO of Ball Brothers Foundation. “She’s the kind of teacher who makes a lifelong impact on students inside and outside of the classroom.”
In addition to Parrish, Ball Brothers Foundation also recognized Sarah Hofmann, a math teacher at Muncie Central High School and Danielle Phelps, a K-8 visual arts teacher at Burris Laboratory School, as finalists for the award.
As a former Ivy Tech college professor turned high school AP Physics and AP Calculus teacher, Hofmann is passionate about preparing students not just for the next test—but for the next chapter of their lives. “Play around and figure it out” is a common phrase in her classroom, where hands-on learning helps students connect physical experiences to the concepts in physics and math they’re studying and will be tested on in their AP exams. Hofmann’s students earn college credit while also gaining soft skills that are equally important for their futures in the real world—like financial literacy and the discipline to turn in work that is both on time and complete. Through a bit of play and a lot of problem solving, Hofmann is helping prepare the next generation of engineers, scientists, and more.
“I tend to ask more questions than I answer,” she says. “‘What are you thinking? Why did that happen?’ Asking questions, instead of answering them, encourages students to seek their own answers and their own understanding.”
Phelps is equally dedicated to inspiring young learners. She believes every child has the innate ability to be an artist, and her classroom is where they begin to believe it, too. Through colorful, hands-on projects like “Owls for Change,” she turns art class into a launchpad for creativity, community engagement, and real-world impact. In this year-long unit, students explored the role public art has on a community, which resulted in students creating symbolic sculptures from recycled materials and raising over $1,000 for local charities. Phelps designs her lessons to build artistic skill, confidence, empathy, and critical thinking. Phelps bright, vibrant classroom provides inspiration for Burris’ youngest learners and middle school students alike—from designing and painting treehouses to exploring mental health through advanced sketching.
“I am here to help you become the artist that I know you are,” she tells her students, encouraging them to take creative risks, solve problems, and find their unique voice.
As finalists, Phelps and Hofmann each received a grant of $1,000 to be used in their classrooms and $1,000 for professional development.
This year’s award finalists and winner were honored at a reception held on May 1 at Minnetrista which was attended by principals, superintendents, and teachers from across the county.
The judging panel for this year’s selection of the Excellence in Teaching Award winner and finalists included several community members and experienced educators:
- Dale Basham, veteran educator and school administrator
- Patricia Clark, retired professor of early childhood education at Ball State University
- Kate Love-Jacobson, coordinator with the City of Fort Wayne and Allen County and consultant with High Performance Government Network
- Wilisha Scaife, a life-long Muncie resident who is well-known for her expertise in family engagement and community leadership
- Neil Schmottlach, veteran Ball State University teacher educator and distinguished professor who later served as a Ball Brothers Foundation program officer
To learn more about Ball Brothers Foundation’s Excellence in Teaching Award, including eligibility requirements and previous years’ winners, visit ballfdn.org/excellence-in-teaching-award.
About Ball Brothers Foundation
Ball Brothers Foundation is one of the state’s oldest and largest family foundations. Annually, the foundation awards over $8 million in grants to support place-based initiatives related to arts and culture, education, the environment, health, human services, and public affairs. The Muncie-based private foundation gives priority to projects and programs that improve the quality of life in the foundation’s home city, county, and state.
