Teachers of the Year announced
Published 8:00 am Saturday, April 27, 2019
<p>Mary Jo Shoemaker</p>
<p>Michelle Landis</p>
<p>Loreyn Eldridge</p>
<p>Bridgett Jones</p>
<p>Whitney Lawson</p>
<p>Leslie Goss</p>
<p>Robin Prince</p>
<p>Mandy Longworth</p>
<p>Jessica Baker</p>
<p>Scott Pace</p>
<p>Casey Lester</p>
<p>Tommy Noe</p>
<p>Kelsey Helton</p>
<p>Sherry Tinsley</p>
<p>Tammie Chapman</p>
<p>Sue Frazier</p>
<p>Misty Hill</p>
In order to encourage and acknowledge excellence in education in the surrounding area, the Harlan Enterprise conducted our fourth annual ballot of readers as to who you consider to be the teachers of the year.
BLACK MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Mary Jo Shoemaker has been named Teacher of the Year at Black Mountain Elementary School. Shoemaker and her husband, Russell, have been married 25 years. Their children are Lauren, Jenna and Jacob. She is a 1991 graduate of JACHS. She obtained a BSW in 1996 and teaching certification in 2011, both at EKU. She has been a teacher for 13 years in the Kentucky public school system.
CAWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Michelle Landis has been named Teacher of the Year at Cawood Elementary School. Landis has a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University and a master’s and Rank I degree in elementary education from Union College. She has worked in Harlan County Schools for 25 years at Cawood Elementary School. Landis has taught third grade and is currently teaching first grade.
CUMBERLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Loreyn Eldridge has been named Teacher of the Year at Cumberland Elementary School. Eldridge is the third- and fourth-grade reading teacher. She has taught at CES for 14 1/2 years. Reading and writing are personal passions and she hopes to instill that love to students, both past and present. Eldridge expresses she would not be the teacher she is today without the love and support of her husband, children and family.
EVARTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Bridgett Jones has been named Teacher of the Year at Evarts Elementary School. Jones is thankful for this honor and the opportunity to spend each day doing what she loves. She has been teaching at EES since 2013. Her classroom environment continues to promote learning and a sense of security. She devotes her free time to her husband Eddie, and their daughters Madison and Macy.
GREEN HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Whitney Lawson has been named Teacher of the Year at Green Hills Elementary School. Lawson is a middle grades English teacher at Green Hills. She received a bachelor’s in Education from Morehead State University in 2017, and began teaching in 2018. Teaching has always been her passion, and she feels so blessed to have her dream job.
HARLAN COUNTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Jessica Baker has been named Teacher of the Year at Harlan County Christian School. Baker, born and raised in Harlan, has been employed with the Harlan County Christian School for two years. She currently teaches second grade and is grateful to have the opportunity to teach such a wonderful group of students.
HARLAN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Scott Pace has been named Teacher of the Year at Harlan County High School. Pace has been teaching Career and Technical Education courses for 19 years. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree, and Rank I certification from Union College. He currently teaches web page development and web design & production. He is the son of Myra Pace and a member of Harlan Christian Church. He feels the best way for students to learn is to be actively involved and engaged within the curriculum through real world, project-based assignments.
HARLAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Leslie Goss has been named Teacher of the Year at Harlan Elementary School. Goss is a third grade reading teacher. She has taught for 14 years. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Kentucky. She also received her master’s degree as a reading specialist from the University of the Cumberlands. She is married to Colby Goss and they have a daughter and a son.
HARLAN HIGH SCHOOL
Robin Prince has been named Teacher of the Year at Harlan High School. Prince has been teaching special education at Harlan Independent for 28 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from LMU and a master’s degree in special education from University of Cumberlands. She currently teaches at Harlan High School, where she is also the senior sponsor. She believes all students can succeed in their own way.
HARLAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Mandy Longworth has been named Teacher of the Year at Harlan Middle School. Longworth has been teaching at Harlan Middle School for 17 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in middle school education with a master’s in middle school science from Union College. She currently teaches at the middle school, where she also sponsors the annual “Sleep with the Sharks” trip.
JAMES A. CAWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Casey Lester has been named Teacher of the Year at James A. Cawood Elementary School. Lester was born and raised in Harlan County. He graduated from Union College and has been teaching for 12 years. He currently teaches 3-5 Social Studies. He is married to Kristin Lester and has two boys, Cameron and Caden Lester. He is the son of Darlene and Bruce Lester. He enjoys basketball, fishing and spending time with his family.
KCEOC HEAD START/PRESCHOOL
Tommy Noe has been named Teacher of the Year at KCEOC Head Start/Preschool. Noe is a 2011 graduate of Harlan High School. He received his bachelor’s degree in 2015 from Lindsey Wilson College. Upon graduation, he started his career with KCEOC Head Start. After four years, he took the position as lead teacher at Tri-Cities Head Start. He enjoys spending time with his family, and teaching gymnastics/cheer at BC Elite, which he owns and operates.
ROSSPOINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Kelsey Helton has been named Teacher of the Year at Rosspoint Elementary School. Helton attended Georgetown College where she received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She lives in Harlan with her husband, Travis. They are currently expecting twin girls in September. She has worked at Rosspoint for two years and says it is a blessing to work with amazing people, and have incredible students to teach every day.
SKCTC CUMBERLAND CAMPUS
Sherry Tinsley has been named Teacher of the Year at Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College, Cumberland campus. Tinsley is the director of advising at Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College. She serves as an adjunct instructor for SKCTC and for Lindsey Wilson College’s School of Professional Counseling. She holds a Master of Education degree in Human Development and Counseling and is a Licensed Practical Counselor Associate.
SKCTC HARLAN CAMPUS
Tammy Chapman has been named Teacher of the Year at Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College, Harlan campus. Chapman is a full professor and coordinator, instructor and advisor of the Teacher Education Transfer and Early Childhood Certificate programs. She attended Evarts High School and went to Cumberland College and completed a Bachelor of Science, Teaching Certification, Rank 2 and Masters in Education. She received Rank 1, Planned Sixth year program and Principal Certification at EKU
SUNSHINE PRESCHOOL
Sue Frazier has been named Teacher of the Year at Sunshine Preschool. Frazier started as a part-time volunteer at Sunshine School in 1995. The following year she was hired as a full-time teacher and has continued to work at Sunshine School. Frazier earned her Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education Certificate from Hazard Community College.
WALLINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Misty Hill has been named Teacher of the Year at Wallins Elementary School. Hill has taught second grade for three years and has been teaching reading in fourth- through sixth-grades for the last seven. She is coach of the elementary academic team (nine years), and a basketball coach for two years. She is a 2003 graduate of Harlan High School and a 2008 graduate of LMU with a bachelor’s in elementary education. She earned her master’s degree in 2012 from Union College.
