Artavia Marshall Acklin
Clear Creek Elementary
Shelbyville, Ky.

With 13 years’ teaching experience, Artavia Acklin has taught third-grade students at Clear Creek Elementary for the past four years. Acklin earned her bachelor’s degree at Kentucky State University, Frankfort; a master’s degree at Georgetown College; and Rank 1 certification at the University of Louisville. She now is working on a provisional certificate in Instructional Leadership at Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green. Acklin is a master trainer for the Kentucky Writing Program and a member of the School Instructional Leadership Team. She is a 2009 Shelby County/Excel Teacher of the Year and serves on the Kentucky Writing Program Advisory Committee. Acklin’s professional affiliations include the National Alliance of Black School Educators; National Writing Project; and the Shelby County, Kentucky and National Education associations.

Cherra Lyne Caldwell
Larry A. Ryle High School
Union, Ky.

Cherra Caldwell has taught English courses at Larry A. Ryle High School for seven years. Caldwell earned a bachelor’s degree at Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights; a master’s degree at Xavier University, Cincinnati; secondary certification at Thomas More College, Crestview Hills, Ky.; and Rank 1 certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. She is a Portfolio Scoring Table leader and an English II Instructional Learning Team leader for her school, where she also designed and facilitated a school-wide arts and humanities curriculum. Caldwell was a master cooperating teacher with the Morehead State College of Education for the spring 2009 semester, during which time she mentored a teacher-education candidate. Her professional affiliations include the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards; National and Kentucky Education associations; and the National and Kentucky councils of Teachers of English.

James Clay Carrier
McKinney Elementary School
McKinney, Ky.

With 11 years’ teaching experience, James Carrier has taught primary math and library media at McKinney Elementary School for the past five. Carrier earned his bachelor’s degree at Berea College and a master’s degree at Eastern Kentucky University. He has participated in leadership activities throughout his career in education, most recently as a facilitator/member of the school’s Professional Learning Community and as a member of the Lincoln County Schools Math Cadre. Carrier is a recipient of the Campbellsville University Excellence in Teaching and Lincoln County Schools Star Technology Teacher School awards, and he has been nominated for the Disney Teaching Award twice. His professional affiliations include the Kentucky Education Association; Kentucky School Media Association; and the Kentucky Bluegrass Award Selection Committee.

Stephanie E. Carver
Mt. Washington Middle School
Mt. Washington, Ky.

A 22-year veteran educator, Stephanie Carver began teaching science courses to seventh-grade students at Mt. Washington Middle School two years ago. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Louisville and has performed in a wide range of leadership capacities throughout her career. Carver currently assists district personnel with alignment of the middle-school science curriculum and serves as a team leader for Mt. Washington’s Site Based Decision Making Council. She is the 2009 Bullitt County Middle School Teacher of the Year, and she initiated a school “Green Team” in which students research environmental issues, educate others on these issues and monitor the school’s energy usage. The Green Team was selected as Kentucky’s Rookie Junior Level School by the National Energy Education Development Organization. Carver’s professional affiliations include the Bullitt County and the Union County Education associations and the Kentucky Association of Gifted Educators. 

Jennifer Chaplin
Monticello High School
Monticello, Ky.

With 14 years’ teaching experience, Jennifer Chaplin has taught the Gifted & Talented Program at Monticello High School for the past four years. Chaplin earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond; Rank 1 certification from the Kentucky Department of Education; and Gifted Education Endorsement from Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green. She has performed in leadership capacities throughout her career and currently serves as a Kentucky Association for Academic Competition (KAAC) Future Problem Solving trainer. She is ranked among “Teachers Who Made a Difference” by the University of Kentucky’s College of Education and has been featured in articles on gifted-education programs published by the Kentucky School Advocate and The Challenge, Western Kentucky University’s Center for Gifted Studies magazine. Her professional affiliations include the Kentucky Association of Gifted Education (KAGE) and the State Gifted Advisory Council.

Jennifer Henson Clark
Cumberland Trace Elementary
Bowling Green, Ky.

A 21-year teaching veteran, Jennifer Clark has taught third-grade students at Cumberland Trace Elementary for 10 years. Clark earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Western Kentucky University (WKU) and has performed in numerous leadership capacities throughout her career. Clark is a member of the Cumberland Trace Comprehensive School Improvement Plan Committee, and she mentors WKU block students, student teachers and interns. Clark was nominated for the 2009 Warren County/Bowling Green Women of Achievement Award and was a finalist for the Save Our Kids Coalition’s Teacher of the Year Award. Her professional affiliations include the Kentucky Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts (KCTE/LA); National Council of Teachers of English; International Reading Association; Kentucky Association of Gifted Education (KAGE); Kentucky Association of School Councils; and Delta Kappa Gamma.

Kerry Stephenson Conrad
Phillip A. Sharp Middle School
Butler, Ky.

With 21 years’ experience, Kerry Conrad has taught English/language arts to seventh-grade students at Phillip A. Sharp Middle School for 12 years. Conrad earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Morehead State and +30 graduate hours at Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights. She serves on the Advisory Council of the NKU Teacher as Leaders Masters Program; as a Kentucky Department of Education Virtual Schools Online Professional Development facilitator; and as co-director of the NKU Northern Kentucky Writing Project. In 2009, Conrad presented at a Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts Conference and was published in a Kentucky English Bulletin article. She received a 2009 Campbellsville University Excellence in Teaching Award, and her professional affiliations include the International and Kentucky Reading associations; National and Kentucky councils of Teachers of English/Language Arts; and the Kentucky Middle School Association. 

Melissa Rebecca Evans
Corbin Middle School
Corbin, Ky.

Melissa Evans has taught for 16 years, with the past seven as a science teacher for seventh-grade students at Corbin Middle School. Evans earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as Rank 1 certification at Union College, Barbourville, Ky. She has performed in leadership capacities throughout her career and currently serves as a resource teacher for the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP) and for student teachers from Union College, the University of the Cumberlands and Eastern Kentucky University. In 2009, Evans was a finalist in the National Geographic Hands-On Explorer Teacher Challenge Awards program. She was nominated for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching and was a Fund for Teachers 2009 Summer Sabbatical (Egypt) recipient. Evans’ professional affiliations include the National Middle School Association; National and Kentucky Science Teachers associations; and the National and Kentucky Education associations.

Ronda K. Fields
Ballard High School
Louisville, Ky.

With 23 years’ teaching experience, Ronda Fields has taught chemistry courses at Ballard High School for 21 of them. Fields earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and Rank 1 certification at the University of Louisville. A member of the Ballard High School Safety Committee, Fields has performed in numerous leadership capacities throughout her career. She serves on the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Advisory Council and has sponsored 15 students to the ISEF since 1992. Fields was published in Science Teacher magazine and is a recipient of the WHAS/PNC Bank ExCEL Award. She was twice named to Who’s Who Among American Teachers and twice nominated for the Rohm and Haas Outstanding Science Teacher Award. Her professional affiliations include the American Chemical Society; National and Kentucky Science Teacher associations; Louisville Area Chemistry Alliance; and the Kentucky Association of Gifted Educators.

Steve Goggin
Mercer County Senior High School
Harrodsburg, Ky.

Steve Goggin has taught math at Mercer County Senior High for 14 years. Goggin earned a bachelor’s degree and +6 graduate hours at the University of Kentucky, Lexington; and a master’s degree at Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond. He is a representative on the District Facilities Planning Committee; a building coach in the conversion to new records software; and he has served on the school’s Site Based Decision Making Council for six years. Over the course of his career, he has been nominated for Kentucky Teacher of the Year four times and for inclusion in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers numerous times. He received a Leadership Award from the 2009 graduating class at Mercer County High School for “outstanding dedication and service.” Goggin’s professional affiliations include the National and Kentucky councils of Teachers of Mathematics; Kentucky Association of School Councils; and the National, Kentucky and Mercer County Education associations.

Durrell “Butch” Hamm
Larry A. Ryle High School
Union, Ky.

Twenty-four year teaching veteran Butch Hamm has taught English/communication courses at Larry A. Ryle High School for nine years. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Morehead State; library media services certification at Marshall University, Charleston, W.Va.; and has a Rank 1 in rhetoric and communication from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Hamm is leader of the 11th-grade Individual Learning Team and has been a Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP) resource teacher. He received a Kentucky Distinguished Teacher Award from the Presidential Scholars and U.S. Department of Education and an Excellence in Teaching Award from Campbellsville University. Hamm coached a debate team that won two consecutive state championships in the Kentucky High School Speech League. His professional affiliations include the American Library Association; American Association of School Librarians; National Council of Teachers of English; and the National, Kentucky, and Boone County Education associations.

Jan Vaughn Horn
Shearer Elementary
Winchester, Ky.

With eight years’ teaching experience, Jan Horn has spent the last five of them as a language arts instructor for fifth-grade students at Shearer Elementary. Horn earned a bachelor’s degree at Transylvania University, Lexington; and a master’s degree and Rank 1 certification at Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond. Horn is chairperson of the Site Based Decision Making Council, on which she has served since 2005; a member of the District Instructional Leadership Team; and a supervising teacher through the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP). She is the recipient of 2009 Campbellsville University Excellence in Teaching and 2009 Kentucky Teacher of the Year awards. She further supports educational initiatives in her community through involvement in the Books to Bridges Program and as coordinator for a Parent/Student/Teacher Book Club and a Blue Grass Pride Outdoor Classroom grant. Horn’s professional affiliations include Pi Lambda Theta and the Kentucky Education Association.

Stacy Isaac
Martha Jane Potter Elementary
Whitesburg, Ky.

Stacy Isaac has taught for nine years, with two in her present position, teaching kindergarten students at Martha Jane Potter Elementary. Isaac earned an associate degree at Southeast Community College, Whitesburg; a bachelor’s degree at Alice Lloyd College, Pippa Passes, Ky.; and a master’s degree at Morehead State. She is working toward Rank 1 certification at the University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg. Isaac is a Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP) resource teacher; has served as a professional development trainer in formative assessments and school-level differentiation; and she participated in the 2009 Letcher County Summer Math Cadre. She also is a 2009 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Award recipient and recently earned Campbellsville University Excellence in Teaching and March of Dimes Classroom awards. Her professional affiliations include the National and Kentucky Education associations and the Kentucky Association of School Councils. 

Jennifer Lacey
Heath Middle School
West Paducah, Ky.

Twelve-year teaching veteran Jennifer Lacey has taught English and reading courses to seventh-grade students at Heath Middle School for the past year. Lacey earned an associate degree at Paducah Community College; and bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Murray State. She is a Purchase Area Writing Project (PAWP) On-Demand Writing specialist; McCracken County District Assessment Academy facilitator; and a Heath Middle School Co-Writing Cluster leader, providing portfolio training for staff. Lacey also sponsors Heath Middle School’s chapter of the Friends of Rachel Club. A recipient of the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year Award, Lacey’s professional affiliations include the McCracken County Education Association; PAWP Writing Advisory Committee; and the Kentucky Council of Teachers of English.

Anita Beth Laney
Elliott County High School
Sandy Hook, Ky.

Anita Laney has been teaching for nearly nine years, all in her current position as a science instructor at Elliott County High School. Laney earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Morehead State University. She has continued her development throughout her career, most recently participating in a year-long series of workshops on formative assessments in middle school math through the Kentucky Educational Development Corporation (KEDC). Laney recently assisted a new science teacher in modeling lessons and strategies and is taking teacher-resource training through the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP). She has presented a “Technology in the Classroom” program to student teachers and a “Digital Portfolio” program at a Kentucky Teaching and Learning Conference (KTLC). She is the recipient of a previous Ashland Inc. Teacher Achievement Award, and her professional affiliations include the Kentucky Education Association and the Kentucky Science Teachers Association.

Lisa Johnson Lokesak
New Haven Elementary
Union, Ky.

With seven year’s teaching experience in public schools, Lisa Lokesak has taught third-grade students at New Haven Elementary throughout her career. Lokesak earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights; and she is now working toward Rank 1 certification. Lokesak is a grade-level team leader, a practicum supervisor, and she served as a representative to the Boone County Elementary Math Content Advisory Committee. She also is founder and coordinator of “The Book Blazer,” a reading/community program. During the 2009-2010 school year, she will be piloting the Singapore Math/Every Day Counts Program for third-grade students. She is the 2009 recipient of a B.E.S.T. Service Learning Award, and her professional affiliations include the Kentucky Reading Association; Kentucky Reading Project (KRP) cadre; and the Northern Kentucky University Alumni Association.

Phyllis Jean Ray
Central Elementary
Mayfield, Ky.

Phyllis Ray has 16 years’ teaching experience and has been teaching first-grade students at Central Elementary for the past six years. Ray earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Murray State University and the National Board Certified Teacher designation from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). She is a member of the Central Elementary Leadership Team, and she collaborates with primary teachers in development of curriculum mapping and assessment guidelines. Ray also mentors student teachers and student career apprentices, as well as Graves County middle-school students and high-school seniors. Her professional affiliations include the National, Kentucky and Graves County Education associations; the Parent-Teacher Association; and the Graves County School District Professional Learning Community.

Sally F. Robinson
Berea Community High School
Berea, Ky.

Sally Robinson has taught for 36 years, with 31 in her current position, teaching social studies courses at Berea Community High School. Robinson earned a bachelor’s degree at Berea College; and a master’s degree, Rank 1 certification and +33 graduate hours at Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond. Since 1980, she has mentored seven interns and 13 student teachers, and she recently served as a team leader for a Professional Learning Communities in-service day. In spring 2009, Robinson was selected for inclusion in a “Highly Effective Instruction” teaching video produced by the Kentucky Department of Education, and she was interviewed by Kentucky Teacher concerning the impact of lesson study on student learning. She is a 2009 recipient of the state senate’s Kentucky Civic Educator of the Year Award; as well as Kentucky VFW Civic Educator and Kentucky Regional VFW Civic Educator awards. Her professional affiliations include the National, Kentucky and Berea Education associations.

Valerie S. Rueger
Ramsey Middle School
Louisville, Ky.

A 22-year teaching veteran, Valerie Rueger has taught language arts and reading courses to sixth-grade students at Ramsey Middle School for the past year. Rueger earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Texas, El Paso; and Rank 1 certification at New Mexico State University. She has performed in a range of leadership capacities over the course of her career, most recently serving as a literacy leader for her school and as a member of its Instructional Leadership Team. Rueger is a recipient of Teach Kentucky Mentor, ExCel and Jefferson County Public Schools’ Superintendent’s Distinguished Service awards, and she was selected for inclusion in Who’s Who Among American Educators four times. Her professional affiliations include the National Education Association; International Reading Association; and the National Council of Teachers of English.

Melissa C. Singleton
Rockcastle County Middle School
Mt. Vernon, Ky.

Melissa Singleton has taught for 15 years, all in her current position, teaching social studies courses to eighth-grade students at Rockcastle County Middle School. Singleton earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and Rank 1 certification at Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond. She participates in an Assessment for Learning professional-development initiative and in Democratic Visions, a Teaching American History grant. Singleton has earned awards and recognition throughout her career. This includes being a semifinalist in the 2009 Ashland Inc. Teacher Achievement Award program and inclusion in Who’s Who Among American Educators. Her professional affiliations include the Kentucky and American associations of Professional Educators; the Organization of American Historians; and the National Council of History Educators.

Kimberly Slusher
Dunn Elementary
Louisville, Ky.

With nearly 13 years’ teaching experience, Kimberly Slusher has taught reading, writing and math to fourth-grade students at Dunn Elementary for the past three years. Slusher earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Kentucky; and a master’s degree and Rank 1 certification at the University of Louisville. She has performed in a wide range of leadership capacities throughout her career, most recently as a mentor in the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP). Slusher was selected by KET to participate in a literacy project through which DVDs were produced as a professional-development tool for teachers to use statewide. She also co-directed and taught a two-week, Kentucky Reading Project institute at the University of Louisville. Slusher’s professional affiliations include the National and Kentucky Education associations and the Jefferson County Teachers Association.

Josh Tucker
Franklin-Simpson Middle School
Franklin, Ky.

A six-year teaching veteran, Josh Tucker has taught social studies to eighth-grade students at Franklin-Simpson Middle School for the past five years. Tucker earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green. He continues his development through participation and as a presenter in such initiatives as the 2009 Teaching American History and the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) conferences. He was selected to mentor Simpson County at-risk students and to serve on his school’s Culture and Climate Team. Tucker sponsored a “Students in Free Enterprise” team that won two national championships. His professional affiliations include the Kentucky Council of Social Studies; Kentucky Coaches Association; Kentucky High School Athletic Association; Simpson County Historical Society; and the National Council of Social Studies.

Holly Lynn Walker
Elizabethtown High School
Elizabethtown, Ky.

With nine years’ teaching experience, Holly Walker has taught special education courses at Elizabethtown High School for the past four years. Walker earned an associate degree at Daytona Beach Community College; a bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida; and she is working toward a master’s degree at Walden University, of Massachusetts. She participates on her school’s Summary of Performance Committee and Secondary Curriculum Project and has served on the School Technology Committee. In 2009, Walker took part in a Closing the Achievement Gap Seminar. She is a 2009 recipient of an ExCel Award and has served as coach of the Pep Club’s Powder Puff Football team since 2005. Walker is a member of the Kentucky Education Association.