Stevensville Educator Named PETA’s First-Ever Homeschool Teacher of the Year
For Immediate Release:
May 8, 2026
Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382
To celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4–8), TeachKind—PETA’s humane education division—is honoring Stevensville homeschool educator Tanya Kitchen as its first-ever Homeschool Teacher of the Year, recognizing her commitment to teaching empathy and compassion for all living beings through everyday lessons.
Kitchen began homeschooling her daughter during the COVID‑19 pandemic to protect her immunocompromised husband and soon discovered that the flexibility of homeschooling allowed her to tailor lessons to her family’s values. When her daughter struggled with reading, TeachKind’s animal rescue stories helped transform reading into something engaging and meaningful—boosting both her confidence and comprehension. Kitchen also champions humane science education, choosing compassionate alternatives to animal dissection and encouraging respect for all living beings during outdoor exploration. Beyond academics, Kitchen, who has been vegan since 2022, raises her daughter to be an advocate for animals in the wider world by caring for rescued companion animals and providing wildlife habitats in their garden.
“Homeschooling has given me the freedom to nurture my child’s mind and her heart, helping her grow into someone who sees animals as individuals worthy of kindness and respect,” says Kitchen. “Through our TeachKind lessons and daily experiences, I’m helping her understand that compassion means speaking up, making thoughtful choices, and using her voice to stand up for all living, feeling beings.”
As TeachKind’s 2026 Homeschool Teacher of the Year, Kitchen will receive a prize package that includes a 12‑month VeganCuts snack box gift card, a custom tote, a framed certificate, and PETA Shop items, along with TeachKind educational materials. TeachKind will also collaborate with her throughout the year to support other homeschool educators interested in bringing humane lessons into their learning spaces.
TeachKind—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, including free humane education resources, please visit TeachKind.org or follow TeachKind on Facebook or Instagram.
