Teacher Larry Fosness holds his two award plaques as the 2009 MDTSEA Teacher of the Year Award.

At it’s 41st Annual Conference, Larry Fosness of Kiester was named Minnesota Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association’s 2009 Teacher of the Year.

Fosness began teaching driver education in the Kiester Public Schools in 1982 and in 1987 coordinated the programs of the former Bricelyn and Kiester Schools (South Central High School).

In 1991 he did the same, putting the former Freeborn, South Central, and Wells Schools into the new program, namely United South Central High School in Wells.

Fosness also taught Social Studies, Physical Education and coached several sports. For 21 years he served as Athletic Director in the Kiester and South Central school systems.

In 1991 he was named Region 2A Athletic Director of the year. He was the president of District 5 of the Minnesota State High School League and a delegate to the Assembly of the league.

Fosness has been a member of MDTSEA since 1983 serving on the board of directors for several years and continues to serve, having been president during 2003-05. He has also been a member of ADTSEA for years, attending the national conferences with the exception of two.

Fosness’s beginning was a one-person department and has progressed to a department with four instructors. He teaches the majority of the classroom portion being offered four times each year.

He teaches the in-car requirement and is proud to have been “in the ditch” only once.

During his term as MDTSEA president, with the help of Joe Christensen, he was able to restore the region workshops offered each fall. Some of the committees that he has served on are the conference, foundation and executive committees.

Fosness has been active in his Kiester community, having served on the Kiester Fire Department for 34 years – eight as fire chief. Some other community activities have been his church council, Interfaith Caregivers and the Thrivent Financial Board. Recently Fosness was instrumental in reviving the local bowling center to a successful business in Kiester.

Each year the Minnesota Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association presents the Matt Barry Award of Excellence to one individual for outstanding contribution to traffic safety education. Fosness also received this award this year.

This is the most honored award an individual can get in Drivers Education Traffic Safety in the State of Minnesota.