GADSDEN, AL – The Etowah Chamber recognized outstanding achievements in education during its annual Excellence in Education & Teachers of the Year Awards Ceremony, presented by Gadsden State Community College. The event took place at The Venue at Coosa Landing, where over 300 educators, administrators, and community members gathered to honor excellence across Northeast Alabama's schools.
Each winning Teacher of the Year received an award featuring original student artwork by
Savanna "Virgil" Stinson (10th Grade, Hokes Bluff High School)
Molly Sumners (5th Grade, John Jones Elementary)
Teacher of Year Award Recipients:
Private Schools
Elementary:
Overall Winner: Kelly Buchanan (Westbrook Christian)
Emily Crane (Episcopal Day School)
Jillian Neal (Coosa Christian)
Secondary:
Overall Winner: Alicia Sullivan (St. James Catholic School)
Amanda Greer (Westbrook Christian)
Tammie Davis (Episcopal Day School)
Loey Mills (Coosa Christian)
Attalla City Schools
Elementary Overall Winner: Za'Miyah Blount (Attalla Elementary School)
Stacia Tidwell (Etowah Middle School)
Secondary Overall Winner: Leigh Traylor (Etowah High School)
Etowah County Schools
Elementary:
Overall Winner: Stacy Hall (Gaston Elementary School)
Misty Ledbetter (Carlisle Elementary School)
Jolene Ivey (Duck Springs Elementary School)
Allison Barkley (Glencoe Elementary School)
Kayla Carver (Highland Elementary School)
Taylor Heath (Hokes Bluff Elementary School)
Shea Osborn (Ivalee Elementary School)
Anna Rains (John S. Jones Elementary School)
Christy Cardwell (Southside Elementary School)
Delita Clements (West End Elementary School)
Katie Bishop (Whitesboro Elementary School)
Secondary:
Megan Henson (Glencoe Middle School)
Ryan Smith (Hokes Bluff Middle School)
Mary Rease (Rainbow Middle School)
Jessica Stewart (Sardis Middle School)
Wesley Heath (Gaston High School)
Jason St John (Glencoe High School)
Mara Mattison (Hokes Bluff High School)
Zach Gilliland (Sardis High School)
Overall Winner: Allison Heald (Southside High School)
Cherie Towns (West End High School)
Shawn Hill (Etowah County Career Technical Center)
Holly Hubbard (Etowah County Itinerant Teacher)
Gadsden City Schools
Elementary Overall Winner: Cheryl Motes (Donehoo Elementary School)
Fatima Wise (Adams Elementary School)
Kathy Roberts (Eura Brown Elementary School)
Samantha Owens (Floyd Elementary School)
Cheri Williams (Mitchell Elementary School)
Amy Smith (Striplin Elementary School)
Greta Swain (Thompson Elementary School)
Madeline Johnson (Walnut Park Elementary School)
Secondary:
Wesley Beck (Gadsden Middle School)
Luke Waugh (Litchfield Middle School)
Jonathan McKay (Emma Sansom School)
Overall Winner: Heather Ross (Gadsden City High School)
Video Revealing All Teacher of the Year Winners:
The following educators were recognized for achieving National Board Certification:
Emily Wilson (Generalist/Middle Childhood)
Katie Baker (Career and Technical Education/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood)
Laura Johnson (Generalist/Middle Childhood)
Amanda Moses (Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood)
Brenden Perry (Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood)
Anna Rains (Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood)
Kasey Roberts (Mathematics/Early Adolescence)
Leah Smith (Library Media/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood)
Madison Gunter (Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood)
Megan Talton (Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood)
Excellence in Education Award Winners
Excellence in Special Education: Magic Panther Athletic Program (Amber Works, Emma May, Ashley Lincoln), John Jones Elementary
Excellence in STEAM: Karen Thompson, Carlisle Elementary
Excellence in Library Media: Leah Smith, Glencoe Elementary
Excellence in Science: Ashley Turner, Jacksonville State University
Excellence in Workforce Development: Etowah County Project Search (Katie Browning, Dande Grant, Amy Brown)
Excellence in School Counseling: Alex Ball, Hokes Bluff Elementary School
Heart of an Educator Post-Secondary: Laura Wilson, Gadsden State Community College
Excellence in Community Partnership: Jay Freeman, Gadsden State Community College Police Department
Excellence in Student Support: Laura Catoe, Gadsden State Community College
Excellence in Administration K-12: Ernest Calloway, Donehoo Elementary
Excellence in Early Education: Reid West, Gaston Elementary
Excellence in Creative Learning: Katelyn Soper, St James Catholic School
Excellence in Technology Instruction: Genia Craft, Ducks Springs, Etowah Middle, Etowah High
Excellence in Career Tech Post Secondary: Christi Truck, Jacksonville State University
Heart of an Educator K-12: Janie Browning, Gadsden City Schools
Excellence in Literacy Instruction: Wendy Shaddix, Attalla Elementary
The awards ceremony was catered by Longhorn Steakhouse and held at The Venue at Coosa Landing in Gadsden.
Photo Album of winners on our Facebook page:
PHOTO ALBUM
Contact:
Etowah Chamber
(256) 543-3472 | info@etowahchamber.org
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