Wilson County Motors and CedarStone Bank are proud to announce the 21st Annual Wilson County Teacher of the Year program. Since 1998, these two companies have partnered to celebrate teachers and teaching. The program began its development in 1996 when W.P. Bone and Bob McDonald came up with the idea as a way to recognize one of the community’s most important and treasured assets – its teachers. Bone and McDonald organized a focus group of individuals in the county representing leaders in business, government, civic and education, to assist in the process and criteria. After two years of planning and preparation, the program commenced and has been running for twenty-one consecutive years.
Each year, a teacher in each school in the county, public and private, is selected from his/her peers as its teacher of the year. Those teachers complete a packet that details their experience, teaching philosophy and community involvement. Those packets are then delivered to Cumberland University where a panel of education faculty chooses one of the teachers as the Wilson County Teacher of the Year. A banquet is then held where each teacher of the year and his/her guest, business, community leaders come together to pay tribute to the teachers.
The winner is announced at the completion of the keynote address by university president Dr. Paul Stumb. Each teacher is presented a plaque recognizing their accomplishment. And the overall winner is presented with a personal check in the amount of $1,500, and a check for their school in the amount of $500. This year’s banquet is scheduled for Friday, April 5, 2019.
“I understand the important role that teachers play in the lives of our young people and they make a lasting impact. It is important that they are recognized and saluted for their commitment”, said W.P. Bone. Bob McDonald continued, “teaching has always been a challenging profession, and it is more today than ever. It is a real delight to see these teachers enjoy being applauded and honored on the night of the banquet.”
Those teachers who will be honored at the banquet on April 5 are:
Connie Canham – Byars-Dowdy Elementary School
Stephanie Porter – Carroll-Oakland Elementary School
Page Henley – Castle Heights Elementary School
Elysia Stover – Coles Ferry Elementary School
Angela Lewis – Elzie D. Patton Elementary School
Lisa Espenshade – Friendship Christian School
Laurie Guethlein – Gladeville Elementary School
Kari Ferrell – Lakeview Elementary School
Derek Southworth – Lebanon High School
Maranda Nave – MAP Academy
Bethany J. Davis – Mt. Juliet Christian Academy
Alexis Swierc – Mt. Juliet Elementary School
Enna Y. Vela – Mt. Juliet High School
Lauren Gribble – Mt Juliet Middle School
Nicole Williams – Rutland Elementary School
Alyson Atchley – Sam Houston Elementary School
Meredith Burke – Southside Elementary School
Brooke M. Carr – Springdale Elementary School
Rob Ruslavage – Stoner Creek Elementary School
Andi Kumpf – Tuckers Crossroads Elementary School
Julie Davenport – W.A. Wright Elementary School
Judy Metcalf – Walter J. Baird Middle School
Lauren Conatser – Watertown Elementary School
Shanna Leasure – Watertown High School
Shannon Queen – Watertown Middle School
Chelsea Sharpe – West Elementary School
Sherry Tiner – West Wilson Middle School
Richard R. Lewis – Wilson Central High School
April Kring – Winfree Bryant Middle School
Pictured are Bob McDonald, President & CEO of CedarStone Bank and W.P. Bone, Owner of Wilson County Motors.