Nearly 40 Educators from the Region to Receive the Annual Honor

DANVILLE, Va. (July 6, 2020) – Averett University is pleased to announce 37 teachers from K-12 schools in the region have received recognition and honors following the 2019-2020 school year. Of those teachers, 15 are Averett graduates.

For more than a decade, Averett has produced approximately 300 teachers in the region who have gone on to be voted Educator of the Year for the school in which they work.

“We are honored to partner with the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce to recognize these educators from around the region for their exemplary work and dedication. I am also thrilled that of those teachers, 15 are Averett graduates,” said Averett President Dr. Tiffany M. Franks. “Our teachers are doing the critical work of educating our children for a better tomorrow, and we deeply value and celebrate the positive impact they are making in the classroom and beyond.”

Traditionally, the awards and honors are announced during an annual awards dinner each May hosted by the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with its other regional award recognitions. However, due to COVID-19, the event for 2020 has been postponed to October, and will be hosted virtually.

“The Educator of the Year awards acknowledge the extraordinary teachers throughout the Dan River Region who work tirelessly to educate, support and care for our students,” Chamber President and CEO Dr. Alexis I. Ehrhardt said. “This year these awards are more important than ever, as we recognize the great lengths teachers went to when, in March, students suddenly transitioned to virtual learning. Our teachers rose to the challenge to ensure that their students had engaging opportunities to learn, and for that we applaud each of them.”

Sherrie Jones Woodberry Hills Elementary School

Megan Johansen Park Avenue Elementary School

Elizabeth Piercy Stony Mill Elementary School

This year, 37 teachers were recognized as winners from their schools in Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C., Three were selected from that pool each to receive a $2,500 stipend, generously sponsored by the J.T. Minnie Maude Charitable Trust – Megan Johansen from Danville Public Schools, Sherrie Jones from Danville Public Schools and Elizabeth Piercy from Pittsylvania County Schools. The winners were:

From Danville Public Schools:

E.A. Gibson Elementary School: Christle Fallen

Forest Hills Elementary School: Stephanie Haynsworth

G.L.H. Johnson Elementary School: Kristin Mills

Galileo High School: Michelle Larking

George Washington High School: Scott Brann

Grove Park Preschool: Lisa Charmello

Northside Preschool: Dana Smith

O.T. Bonner Middle School: Sara Lewis

Park Avenue Elementary School: Megan Johansen

Schoolfield Elementary School: Kristin Gleber

Westwood Middle School: LaKisha Brandon

W.W. Moore Detention Home: Christopher Gee

Woodberry Hills Elementary School: Sherrie Jones

From Pittsylvania County Schools:

Chatham Elementary School, Tina Cole

Chatham High School, Melanie Wade

Chatham Middle School, Kelsey Robertson

Dan River High School, Raleigh James, Jr.

Dan River Middle School, Amanda Riley

Gretna Elementary School, Natalie Angell

Gretna High School, Kristin Keesee

Gretna Middle School, Kryshelle Cothran

John L. Hurt Jr. Elementary School, Lindsey Wyatt

Kentuck Elementary School, Martin Smith

Pittsylvania Career & Technical Center, Joshua McKinney

Regional Alternative School, Dixie Poindexter

Southside Elementary School, Sonya Soyars

Stony Mill Elementary School, Elizabeth Percy

Tunstall High School, Sandi Rossman

Tunstall Middle School, Crystal Nemec

Twin Springs Elementary School, Frank Wilkerson

Union Hall Elementary School, Nancy Shumate

Victory Academy, Karen Butler

From Caswell County Schools:

Oakwood Elementary School, Mary Beth Griffin

South Elementary School, Jessica Chester

Stoney Creek Elementary School, Logan Webb

N.L. Dillard Middle School, Angela Ouzts

North Elementary School, Katie Louhoff