When KHS science teacher found out he won the 2025 Hoosier Educator of the Year award, he was honestly shocked. Even though he knew he had been nominated, he didn’t think he actually had a chance at winning something that big.
“I was completely surprised,” Lorenz said. “Everyone that knew ahead of time did a good job at keeping it a secret. I usually figure out if someone is trying to surprise me before they surprise me.”
He also received the National Education Association Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence, which is a huge national honor. To him, it means a lot because he knows there are so many teachers out there who work just as hard every day. He feels proud, but also humbled, because he understands how many educators go above and beyond for their students.
One thing that makes Mr. Lorenz stand out is how much he focuses on actually getting to know his students. Instead of jumping straight into lessons on day one, he spends the first week or two building relationships.
“I take pride in spending the first week or two to truly get to know my students before we really begin learning content and I feel as though that makes a big difference,” he said. “I’ve always said, I’m a better observer and listener than speaker. When I listen to my students and get to know them, I can learn how to teach them.”
His inspiration to become a teacher came from a lot of different people. He says every teacher he ever had inspired him in some way. But his grandmother especially made an impact on him. She would give him spelling tests at home, read to him and teach him about respecting nature. She always told him that if you take care of nature, it will take care of you. That lesson has stuck with him.
Lorenz’s favorite part about teaching is the people. He genuinely loves learning from his students and says sometimes he feels like he learns more from them than they learn from him.
“I try to reach my students by connecting with them by sharing my interests. I really love being able to connect students with nature though,” he said. “You don’t have to like the outdoors to relate to nature. If you like to read, travel, paint, write or make music you can still be connected with the outdoors without ever having to step foot outside your door and I try to reinforce that with students.”
When students feel stuck or unmotivated, Lorenz doesn’t just assume they’re being lazy. Instead, he takes time to observe and think about what might really be going on. Maybe they’re struggling with something outside of school, or maybe they just don’t understand the material. He gives them space to reflect and then reaches out, either by talking with them or even sending an email if it’s something more personal. In his science classes, students also write reflections in their notebooks, which gives them another way to communicate with him.
While he doesn’t have one specific classroom moment he’s most proud of, graduation is something really special to him. As a teacher escort, he sits at the end of the back row and watches each of his former students walk across the stage. He reflects on the conversations he had with them and the growth he saw. He describes it as “keeping watch” until they officially graduate. Seeing what his students accomplish after high school makes everything worth it.
Even with all these awards, Lorenz says they haven’t changed who he is. If anything, they just remind him that he’s making a difference. They motivate him to keep building strong connections with students.
“I would not say that any of these awards have changed me. They have just confirmed that what I am doing is making a difference in the lives of our students,” Lorenz said. “I am very grateful and never take any of the awards for granted. If anything, these awards have inspired and motivated me to dig in and keep making connections with my students.