Cumberland County Schools announces 2023 Teacher of the Year

Ariana-Jasmine Castrellon, The Fayetteville Observer
·2 min read
Talicia Smith, a teacher at Douglas Byrd Middle School. grins widely as Adam Fellers looks on, after Smith was named the Cumberland County school district's Teacher of the Year. Fellers is with Lafayette Ford, a sponsor of the event.
Talicia Smith, a teacher at Douglas Byrd Middle School. grins widely as Adam Fellers looks on, after Smith was named the Cumberland County school district's Teacher of the Year. Fellers is with Lafayette Ford, a sponsor of the event.

Douglas Byrd Middle School teacher Talicia Smith was named the Cumberland County Schools' 2023 Teacher of the Year on Monday.

Smith was awarded a $1,000 check and will go on to compete for the Sandhills Regional Teacher of the Year.

The winners of Teacher of the Year and Beginning Teacher of the Year were announced during an awards ceremony Monday evening. There were 10 nominees in each category.

Patsy Beth Whittington, of Hope Mills Middle School, was named first runner-up to Teacher of the Year for Cumberland County Schools.
Patsy Beth Whittington, of Hope Mills Middle School, was named first runner-up to Teacher of the Year for Cumberland County Schools.

The first runner-up for Teacher of the Year was Patsy Beth Whittington of Hope Mills Middle School and the second runner-up was Shawna Kay Lawes of Ponderosa Elementary School.

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Shawna Kay Lawes of Ponderosa Elementary was named second runner up to Teacher of the Year.
Shawna Kay Lawes of Ponderosa Elementary was named second runner up to Teacher of the Year.

The other nominees for Teacher of the Year and their schools were:

  • Dana Johnson, Loyd Auman Elementary School

  • Gantice Lee, New Century International Elementary School

  • Jennifer Bobby, Beaver Dam Elementary School

  • Michelle Dooney, Luther "Nick" Jeralds Middle School

  • Cristen Frazier, Gray’s Creek Middle  School

  • ElWanda McLaurin, Spring Lake Middle School

  • Shannon Blue, Ashley Elementary School

Tonya McGill, of Morganton Road Elementary School, was named the district's Beginning Teacher of the Year.

The other nominees and their schools were:

  • Madeline Baker, Alma Easom Elementary School

  • Sarah Milroy, Glendale Acres Elementary School

  • Sheretta Armstrong, Benjamin Martin Elementary School

  • Angela Hodge, Stedman Primary School

  • Michael Parker, Gray’s Creek Middle School

  • Tiara May, Douglas Byrd Middle School

  • Maureen Johnson, Max Abbott Middle School

  • James Heyward, South View High School

  • Justin Grandenetti, Jack Britt High School

  • Brandie Ingram, Seventy-First High School

The Monday celebration was to recognize the school district’s teachers "for their hard work and dedication to their students, despite the setbacks experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic," Renarta Moyd, spokesperson for Cumberland County Schools,  said in a news release.

Health and education writer Ariana-Jasmine Castrellon can be reached at acastrellon@gannett.com or 910-486-3561.

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This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Cumberland County Schools Teacher, Beginning Teacher of the Year 2023