Troops to Teachers, a nonprofit that helps current and former military members transition into careers as public school teachers, honored a local Air Force veteran Friday.

Michael Kloenne, a math teacher at Wasson High School and a 25-year Air Force veteran, was awarded the Armed Forces Communication Electronics Association’s $5,000 scholarship for new teachers at a Friday awards luncheon.

According to Kloenne’s website, he is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and just completed his first semester of teaching while attending classes at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. He will complete the Colorado Department of Education license requirements over the next 2 years.

Troops to Teachers provides veterans with information on the teacher accrediation process, test preparation, and job placement assistance and eligible participants may receive up to $10,000 in financial assistance if they teach in a low income school for three years. The program was started in 1994 by the Department of Defense.

Photo by Troops to Teachers