Lexington District One releases the 32 nominees for the district's 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year

Lexington, SC 05/13/2025 - Lexington County School District One’s 32 schools recently chose one certified educator to represent them in the district’s 2025–26 Teacher of the Year selection process.

The newest class of Lexington One Teachers of the Year include Beechwood Middle’s Shannon Boatwright, Carolina Springs Elementary’s Fannie Boeman, Carolina Springs Middle’s Saadia Cardwell, Centerville Elementary’s Leianne Glymph, Deerfield Elementary’s Hope Hartley, Forts Pond Elementary’s Parker Areheart, Gilbert Elementary’s Kody Taylor, Gilbert High’s Cielo Holt, Gilbert Middle’s Celine Miller, Lake Murray Elementary’s Ashley Yelman, Lakeside Middle’s Joanna Connell, Lexington Elementary’s Kerri Santulli, Lexington High’s Jessica Bonnette, Lexington Technology Center’s Amy Cooper, Meadow Glen Elementary’s Jessica Thrift, Meadow Glen Middle’s Susan Myrick, Midway Elementary’s Adriana Garcia, New Providence Elementary’s Adele Yanssens, Oak Grove Elementary’s Lindsay Resnick, Pelion Elementary’s Michelle “Dona” Vestal, Pelion High’s Justin Tipton, Pelion Middle’s Sarah Burke, Pleasant Hill Elementary’s Mary Elizabeth Copeland, Pleasant Hill Middle’s Merrissa Ritch, Red Bank Elementary’s Donee Taylor, River Bluff High’s Walt Overbay, Rocky Creek Elementary’s Sarah Simms, Saxe Gotha Elementary’s Ana Carmen Cimpian, South Lake Elementary’s Blair King, White Knoll Elementary’s Emily Cava, White Knoll High’s Kayla Finn and White Knoll Middle’s Lauren Blakely.

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These poised and articulate educators possess a superior ability to impart knowledge to students and inspire them to love learning. They keep abreast of current educational theories and practices through professional development; devote time and energy to activities that improve instruction for children; show examples of innovative practices in their classrooms; contribute to the field of education by conducting seminars and workshops and supporting fellow teachers; earn the respect and admiration of students, parents and co-workers; and play active roles in their communities and schools.

Over the course of the next several months and during the 2025–26 school year, these teachers will compete in the Teacher of the Year process, which features two rounds of judging. First, all 32 school-level Teachers of the Year submit a written application responding to specific questions. This round uses four teams of judges to methodically and carefully review and score applications. Then, another team of judges observes each school-level Teacher of the Year in their classrooms. There is one rubric for scoring the applications and another rubric for scoring the observation. The teacher with the highest overall total becomes District Teacher of the Year.

The celebration of all school-level Teachers of the Year and the announcement of the district’s new Teacher of the Year takes place on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the Lexington One Performing Arts Center at Lexington High School.