The kindness and encouragement from one of her former teachers inspired Melinda Richardson to pursue a career as an educator. A 4th- and 5th-grade math teacher at Clay City Elementary School (Powell County) since 2006, she said her greatest accomplishment is encouraging students to create positive change in the world by giving back to their communities.
As a 15-year veteran teacher, Shannon Kay knows how important education can be in a child’s life. She currently teaches 1st grade in Boone County, but she also has taught preschool and kindergarten.
As the science teacher at the School for the Creative and Performing Arts at Bluegrass (Fayette County), Julie Moore is a strong advocate for arts-integrated education as a part of a student’s success.
For the past decade, Ashley Buchanon has been an educator and a Kentucky mathematics teacher leader.
Rebecca Brewer has always had a passion for learning, creativity and helping others. This is why she fell in love with education and decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a certification in learning/behavior disorders at Bellarmine University. She also earned a master’s degree as a literary specialist.
Lauren Niemann, an environmental education teacher at Fern Creek High School (Jefferson County), is passionate about cultivating humane practices in her classroom.
At an early age, Amber Hays, a National Board-certified early childhood educator, knew she wanted to be a teacher.
Cassandra Walden, a kindergarten teacher at East Bernstadt Elementary (East Bernstadt Independent), says teaching is an opportunity to instill curiosity and creativity in young students.
Kimberly Thompson, the library media specialist at Eastside Middle School (Bullitt County), is making reading more accessible to all students at her school.
Christi Bailey, a recently retired outreach consultant for the Kentucky School for the Deaf, never let her students settle for anything less than their best.