Fairbanks – Today, the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) awarded the 2026 Teacher of the Year to NEA-Alaska and Fairbanks Education Association member Pete Daley.
Mr. Daley is a welding instructor committed to helping students explore career opportunities in the welding industry. Each summer, he leads an all-girls workshop called Girls in Welding, where students work on hands-on projects—such as building bike racks—that are shared with the Fairbanks community.
“Mr. Daley is dedicated to his students and committed to ensuring everyone, regardless of their gender, has the same opportunity to succeed in the trades and to pursue their dreams,” said Tom Klaameyer, President of NEA-Alaska. “Teachers like Mr. Daley make a positive impact on their students every day and instill the confidence in anyone to succeed.”
Outside of his work in the classroom Mr. Daley is an active union member and advocate for Alaska’s public schools. He has traveled to Juneau to lobby for an increase in education funding and pensions for public employees, gone to Washington D.C. to advocate for Perkins funding and for the expansion of CTE programs on behalf of Fairbanks students, the local community, and statewide.
“Mr. Daley cares deeply about providing the highest quality education for his students,” said Danette Peterson, President of the Fairbanks Education Association. “He is always finding ways to advocate for students and teachers, working with our union to improve working conditions, and ensure all Alaska students have the tools they need to succeed.”
Learn more about Mr. Daley and the Girls in Welding program here.
For more information, please contact Nora Morse at (907) 947-8723
###
