>> Hello and welcome to Carolina Classrooms .

I'm Laura Ybarra.

On this episode we're celebrating educators.

We'll introduce you to the five finalists for South Carolina Teacher of the Year, and we'll take you to the gala where the 2023 Teacher of the Year was announced!

Throughout this episode, we'll also be saying thank you to the people who keep their schools running and their students learning.

To all the teachers, administrators, support staff, cafeteria workers, janitors, bus drivers and more, thank you for all your hard work.

Thomas Slater teaches chorus and music at Chestnut Oak Middle School in the Sumter School District.

He is a finalist for Teacher of the Year.

♪ Thomas>> The person who influenced me the most becoming an educator was my high school band director Billie Williamson.

Billie Williamson was very enthusiastic about music.

It was very contagious.

She made music come alive.

She made it fun.

She exposed us to all kinds of experiences that we have never experienced before, and I wanted to be Billie Williamson.

Over 30 plus years, my purpose for rising early every day for nine months, staying late, getting to school early, working on the weekends, working summers, collaborating with others, was my love and genuine concern for my students.

Seeing my students succeed musically has spurred me to action all of these years.

That's my passion.

Being named South Carolina Teacher of the Year would be like a dream come true for me.

It would be validation for all of the hard work and sacrifices I've made all in the name of seeing my students succeed and seeing them become productive citizens in society.

I will be humbled and honored to be a voice for what one of the most greatest profession in the world that is education.

♪ >> I have many favorite teachers, but one of my favorite teachers.

Originally from New Jersey, his name was Mr. Mike Apholido.

He also was my basketball coach, and he was my favorite teacher because I was at the time on the college prep track, and I was not allowed to take business courses, for example, but he knew the importance of it because he also was the business chair, but he knew the importance of it, and he encouraged me to even give up my lunch break, like bring a bagged lunch and so forth, to take those extra courses to include like, you know, financial classes, business classes, typing, computer, computing things of that nature, because he understood, you know, the future and the need for it.

So although we didn't have those courses on the college prep track, I was able to be exposed to those courses otherwise, through his guidance and leadership.

So, he was my favorite teacher.

Laura>> The next finalist, Jami Guker teaches seventh grade math at Woodruff Middle School in Spartanburg County School District four.

♪ Jami>> Teaching was not my original plan.

I had decided that I was going to go to school for the dental field.

So I started school, once I was in the offices there, I realized I was not content.

So I started thinking, What does God want for me?

and I thought back to my mom.

My mom was an assistant teacher, and she worked for 28 years in the school district in Spartanburg County, and she came home every day talking about her students and how amazing they were, not only that, but she was a bus driver.

And so I was on the bus with her every day even when I didn't like it, but I saw those connections that she was able to form.

I love teaching.

These students are my life.

Every single day in my classroom, I try to teach them something new, and I want them to feel successful.

I also, though, I do not stop in the classroom.

So I make sure that I go and support them outside of the classroom.

I go to their football games.

I go to their soccer games or their tennis matches.

I want them to know that they're supported and loved.

So my students, to see them come from not feeling confident in math, to just feeling like they've accomplished so much, that means all the difference in the world.

For me to be named Teacher of the Year, I just, I can't even fathom what that would feel like but it would be an amazing opportunity for me to go and just tell educators to not give up that everything that we do is important and it matters.

These students rely on us.

They want to know that we love them.

Some of these students are going home to places where we just can't even understand what they're going home to, maybe one parent, maybe no parents.

I've had students that are even having to raise their own siblings because the parents work so much.

So, no matter what the issue is at home, I want them to know that they can always count on me and that I love them.

♪ Laura>> At Springfield Middle School in York County District Four, Laura Merk teaches 6th grade math.

She is a finalist for Teacher of the Year.

♪ Laura>> I always loved school growing up.

It was always a positive experience for me, and I really want to make a positive experience for our children today.

I feel like growing and learning is so powerful.

It's...what makes us the best person we can be.

So I love that I was able to come back to my alma mater, middle school here, this is where I came to middle school, and it's like a way of giving back to my community that served me so well when I was a middle schooler.

Education is powerful, and I teach math.

And I absolutely love math.

It's a great subject to teach, but my passion really is for my students, I try really, really hard to make sure they learn math and learn our concepts, but my true success is found when my students feel loved in my classroom.

So, there are some students here that are facing problems way more challenging than any equation I can put on paper, and if I can be there for that student, and I can be a champion for that student, then I've done my job well.

If I were named South Carolina Teacher of the Year, first of all, that would be beyond my wildest dreams.

I would feel absolutely honored and humbled to represent all of the hard working teachers of this state.

I hope that I could unite teachers across the state and bring all stakeholders together to really be a champion for education.

♪ Shawn>> My 1st grade teacher, her name was Ms. Rice, and I remember Ms. Rice because she, of course, I had her first grade, and when I graduated high school, she attended my graduation, and she bought me this book by Dr. Seuss called Oh, the Places You'll Go .

I don't know - I'm sure you guys have heard of that.

And I still have this book 'til this day, and I have lost contact with Ms. Rice.

I don't know if she's still in North Carolina or not because that's where I attended high school and graduated.

But that was one of my teachers that really inspired me and she believed in me as a young child, she kept in contact with my parents when we were younger.

And I was like one of her star students because she said, "Oh, she reads so well," I always made the honor roll.

I'm not bragging on myself, but she was actually my favorite teacher, and I remember her, and she's inspired me.

♪ Laura>> The next finalist, Zachary Arms, teaches high school social studies at Liberty High School in the school district of Pickens County.

♪ Zachary>> So I'm a firm believer that good teachers make good teachers.

I think back to my high school, college days.

I mean, my band director, chorus teacher, I had so many great teachers in my life, and that really just inspired me to take what they did for me and continue carrying it forward.

If I can do a fraction of what they did for me, I'd have a successful career.

My passion for education, I mean, it really comes down to my students, just watching them succeed.

I'm here to make my students better than I am.

I really want to watch them succeed and thrive in life, and if I'm a part of that just a little bit, I'd be so thankful for it.

This will obviously be not only a big honor for me, but for Liberty.

I mean, we are a small town, but there's so much great things going on here, and just to be able to highlight those great things would be awesome.

Another part of it is, I understand this is an awesome award, but it is also a responsibility, and it's really a job.

I would definitely look forward to representing all teachers in South Carolina, continuing the great work of those before me and just continuing that passion and the advocacy for South Carolina's educators.

♪ Laura>> Deion Jamison teaches English language arts to students in grades 7th through 10th at Legacy Early College in Greenville with the South Carolina Public Charter School District.

He is a finalist for teacher of the year.

♪ Deion>> I decided to become a teacher after going through my own K-12 experience.

I had this teacher, Miss Gloria Clark is her name, in the fourth grade, and she taught us math.

And she always expected academic excellence from her students.

And I thought that that was something that was amazing, although I didn't really recognize what she was doing in the moment.

It wasn't until I got older that I started to appreciate what it was that she was doing.

So from there, as I matriculated through K-12, I noticed something about my teachers.

A lot of my teachers did not look like me, and I could not identify with them.

And after going to college and learning the statistics about education, I found that there are only 2% of black males in education.

So that was the driver for me to become a teacher so that I could be for students what I didn't have for myself.

I think my passion is really fueled by the educational inequity that exists within the state and within the nation, right?

I grew up in an area that's unfortunately known as the "Corridor of Shame" in Orangeburg County.

And it was important for me to go back to that community initially when I began teaching, and to begin working in schools that don't have the adequate resources, nor the high quality teachers.

So it was really important for me to be in a space in which I could contribute to excellence.

To be named the South Carolina Teacher of the Year would be an incredible honor.

I would be incredibly humbled to have this particular platform.

I see it as an opportunity to continue to advocate for my students, to advocate for the students across the state, on a local, state, and even a national level, and to advocate for the profession in general.

♪ Amanda>> I've had lots of wonderful teachers.

One teacher that really made a difference for me was my fourth grade teacher.

That was a very hard year for me, and she was very compassionate and really took the time to see what I needed and be more than just like the teacher.

She was there and supported, not only me, but my family, through some difficult things.

So you know, we were talking about making it real for the kids that are there because a lot, you know, you don't know what a child is going through until you sit there, and to expect or think that all the children are the same, they just aren't.

They don't have the same experiences.

And so I felt like she made a conscious effort to make sure that while we were at school, it was almost an even playing field.

Laura>> The staff at A.J.

Lewis Greenview Elementary School in Richland County School District One work long hours to keep their school clean and their students comfortable and safe.

Dr. Evans>> It's like a village, and we can't do it alone.

It takes a village to make sure that we're successful.

And I attribute the success of our school to not only our dedicated teachers, but also our support staff as well as our parents.

Our SRO, Deputy Williams, he is here at 6:30 in the morning to ensure that he greet all of our boys and girls as they're getting off the bus or in a car rider line when it begins at seven o'clock.

Our cafeteria workers, they're also here at 6:30 to make sure our boys and girls have a warm meal.

And in Richland One we are fortunate, because all of our boys and girls receive free breakfast and lunch.

So they are able to participate in the program through the State Department.

And also not only them, but our secretaries, our school counselors, everyone comes together to make sure that our boys and girls have what they need.

And at Greenview, even eight o'clock at night, they're still here, our custodial staff, they're working.

We are short staffed, but they are working to ensure that our boys and girls come into a clean building daily.

So it does take a village to ensure that all of our boys and girls have what they need.

But it doesn't start when they come here.

When they're at the bus stop, our bus drivers, they are ensuring that they're safely bringing them to us in a timely manner too so they can start their learning.

Deputy Williams>> Here at school, my primary thing is the safety of the students.

And then I also teach students about Stranger Danger, DARE program, Safety First, and basically guide them, and also I'm a counselor.

If they have an issue they need to talk about, they can sit down and talk with me about it.

"Well, Deputy Williams, so-and-so is going on."

And then I could do other stuff with them as well.

I love it.

I mean, I love children.

That's why I got into being a School Resource Officer, for the love of children.

I worked on the road for about 13, 14 years.

And then I said, "You know, let me try to get in somewhere "where I can actually start them off young and get them before they actually get into the system."

I just want to make a difference in their life.

Teacher>> Will all of you join me in congratulating Deputy Williams as we recognize him for the great job that you do and how you take care of Greenview and the entire community.

Deputy Williams, we sincerely appreciate you, and we wanted to recognize you today.

So here is your favorite color balloons, and a Certificate of Appreciation for all that you do for Greenview and our community.

Deputy Williams >> Wow!

Dr. Evans>> They are sincerely appreciated.

The work that they do, my words cannot describe the appreciation that I have for the work that they put in.

It doesn't stop at 2:30, when school is out.

They continue.

You will find our SRO, our teachers, our students' football, basketball, their recitals.

They go above and beyond to ensure that our students have what they need.

So if I could tell them anything, it would be simply, "Thank you for the work that you do."

Laura>> The South Carolina Teacher of the Year Gala was held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

This event is a chance to roll out the red carpet and acknowledge teachers for the work that they do.

(crowd chatter) Kirstin>> Well, as I say, I'm deeply honored because there's tremendous growth in STEM in the States, and so especially one of the areas my second level are working on is electric vehicles.

We're actually completing the build of an electric vehicle that we've been working on all year.

And that's the second fastest growing industry in the state.

So the more, I think, we can help students find those opportunities to connect what they're passionate about, what they're interested in, whether it's problem solving, whether it's mechanical engineering, or whatever it is, you know, whatever their interests may be with the opportunities for growth in this state, I think that's where STEM education really shines.

And I'm just fortunate to get to work with amazing students, and try to help connect them with the opportunities here.

Dr. Bala>> I'm from India, an International teacher.

I work at Calhoun County Public Schools, and I work in high school as a Special Ed teacher in a self contained, multi categorical setting.

We are in high school, we are mostly focused on the life skills and transition skills.

So we are preparing our students for the real life and any skills related to it, it can be reading skills, or math skills, or any basic skills like career or transition.

That's what I mainly focus on in the classroom.

So that once they leave high school, they should be a contributing member of the society.

And we tie it with Vocational Rehabilitation Department and DDSN and other agencies as well, so as much skill we can contribute and teach them and train them with, so whatever they can do once they leave us, it will be beneficial.

Franklyn>> I teach in the Marion County School District.

I teach fourth grade English language arts and social studies.

The main thing I like doing, you know, I teach English and social studies.

Social studies can be interesting, but I mainly love teaching writing, because I'm passionate about writing myself, I do a lot of creative writing, and I help people edit things, I'm just always involved in writing on a daily basis.

So I try to instill that passion in my students, and you know, it takes a lot of patience, you know, you have to go step by step, and sometimes you have to start from the beginning, start from scratch and go back through that process again.

But that's the main thing that I enjoy teaching, I get a lot of joy out of that.

I think it's important to secure their future.

I mean, you know, businesses are looking for people that have originality.

Nobody wants to hire the person that traces the best.

They want to know who's going to be bring something original, an original idea.

So that's what I really try to get out of students.

I tell them to think in a unique way.

I even tell them, "If I asked you to write "about a trip to Mars, obviously, "you've never been to Mars, but use your creativity, come up with some ideas."

And that's what I really try to get out of my students too, that creativity.

It was a big surprise.

I'll never forget the moment when it was announced.

And they started reading the first sentences of my essay, and my heart just started pounding so much because I just couldn't believe that it was happening, but it is very, it feels very good to be acknowledged for the work that I do.

And I'm definitely looking forward to this evening, and it's nice already to see everybody dressed up sharp and everything.

(classical music) (applause) Superintendent Spearman>> Every morning, I think about this: When the sun comes up over our beautiful state, and we're all getting dressed for work, our teachers, many of them, are already at school, welcoming the over 6000 bright new yellow school buses that bring about 800,000 students, or they arrive with their moms and dads when they drop them off in cars as they're going to work.

And we entrust to them, our children, our greatest resource.

These teachers, when the sun goes down, many of them are still working.

They're planning, they're grading papers.

They're planning for the next day to ensure that they are prepared to engage our students in personalized learning, and helping them to find their pathway of their God given talents and skills that will prepare them to be ready for graduation, when they receive their diploma, that we have met the profile of the South Carolina graduate, that every student, no matter where they live, or whatever circumstances they bring to school with them, that they are ready for success in college, career, and I believe, most importantly, citizenship.

Teachers, tonight, we thank you for choosing the field of education.

But especially tonight, thank you for teaching in South Carolina, God bless you.

(applause) >> Most especially, thank you to the Carter family, to Brian, to my husband who did all the things so that I can do all the new things this year.

And thank you to my precious children for sharing me.

If you've heard me speak this year, you've heard me talk about Goldstar moments, these moments that magical teachers are able to connect with and inspire students and build a rich groundwork for them to learn.

Marianne Williamson has a quote that has become my teaching philosophy.

She says, "As we let our own light shine, "we unconsciously give others permission to shine as well."

I'm a high school teacher, and a lot of people give teenagers a bad rap, because they like to poke fun at their desire to conform.

When I think about Marianne Williamson's quote, I think about all of us standing in a line of conformity.

And when one of us is brave enough, bold enough, innovative enough to step out of that line, it commands attention, but it also gives permission for other people to try the same thing.

And so even as adults, I think that it's easy for us to blend in, to put our head down, to maintain the status quo.

And so as often as you can, I think that we should challenge that.

We should step out of the line of being ordinary.

Now it comes with a weight, because leadership is sometimes weighty and messy.

Leadership is not a title, it's action.

It is weighty, it is sometimes messy, but it is so very worth it.

If we step out of that line of conformity of being ordinary, we can find connection, we can be innovative, creative, we can inspire a desire and an ability in others to do the same.

Spearman>> May I have the envelope, please?

Man on stage>> It's sealed.

Spearman>> It's sealed!

The drum roll!

(snare drums roll) Another drum roll.

(laughter) (snare drums roll) Our South Carolina Teacher of the Year for 2023, Deion Jamison, South Carolina Public Charter School District.

(cheers and applause) Deion>> Wow, so this is completely overwhelming.

I could not even imagine or fathom this moment.

I remember watching this actual gala last year.

And I said to myself that I would be there one day, but I would never imagine that it would be just one year later, and that I would even be standing here as the recipient of this prestigious honor.

I am just extremely overwhelmed.

I don't even have words, which is crazy as I'm an English teacher, so I don't even know.

Right?

Um, I want to give a huge shout out to all of the other finalists: Laura, Jamie, Zach, Thomas.

I am a better teacher for meeting you, for hearing your stories, and for you to just share yourselves with me.

You all are doing amazing work and I'm just so excited to continue to work with you over the next year as we continue as a forum.

To the District Teachers of the Year in the building, give yourselves a round of applause.

(applause) I just remember meeting you all for the first time in November at the South Carolina Teacher Forum, and I walked away from that space being so inspired and so energized.

I remember coming down to Myrtle Beach and I think that I had a bad day at school, but meeting you all and hearing your stories and hearing the amazing things that you're doing on behalf of children throughout the state really inspired me and really energized me.

♪ Laura>> As the 2023 State Teacher of the Year, Deion Jamison will work for one year with the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement.

He will travel around the state meeting with fellow educators and visiting schools.

Thank you to all teachers, support staff, administrators, parents, caregivers, and everyone else who guided their students with love and dedication through this past school year.

And thank you for watching.

You can find more education stories from around the state on our website, carolinaclassrooms.org