RUMFORD — Sarah Marshall has been teaching first grade in the same room at Rumford Elementary School her entire career, “and I absolutely love it!” the 2025 Oxford County Teacher of the Year said.

Marshall was one of 16 teachers honored May 14 in the Hall of Flags at the Maine State House in Augusta by the Maine Department of Education in partnership with Educate Maine.

More than 550 teachers across Maine were nominated by their school community. A local panel of teachers, principals and business community members chose the 16 outstanding educators.

Marshall shared her passion for the profession in a recent interview, saying, “I strongly believe that each day is a new opportunity for learning for every student. I absolutely love children’s literature, and try to instill that same love of reading in my students as well. Our classroom library is full of books for every topic and subject, and when our class has an idea, problem, or wonder, we’ll often turn to a book to learn more, explore, or find an answer.”

She said she has a passion for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) and has been part of the Work Force Ready collaboration with the Maine Math and Science Alliance in Regional School Unit 10 for the past three years.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to share these resources and learning with students in our school and community as well as with staff,” she said. “We have a variety of different robots that teachers and students throughout our school can borrow and access for different hands-on learning activities.”

Marshall also expressed her gratitude for the team effort to help students.

“I am so fortunate to teach and grow as an educator at Rumford Elementary School,” she said. “We have a collaborative teaching model in our grade level where we are able to work together to meet the diverse needs of every learner.”

Marshall graduated from the University of Maine in Farmington in the fall of 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and started teaching at Rumford Elementary School soon after. She received her master’s degree in literacy from the University of Southern Maine and has continued her education through a literacy coaching/literacy specialist certification, and is finishing a certificate for systems of student support.

Throughout their year of service, the 16 county teachers of the year act as ambassadors for teachers, students and schools.

Marshall and her partner, Seth, their children Max and Theo, and their dogs, Faline and Daisy, live in Rumford.