LOWNDES – State School Superintendent Richard Woods today announced the 10 finalists for 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year.

Congratulations to Stephanie Peterson, Lowndes County Schools District Teacher of the Year.  Stephanie has been named a top ten finalist for the 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year.  She is a second-grade teacher at Westside Elementary School.  Beth Lind, Principal at Westside Elementary School stated, “Ms. Peterson is an outstanding and innovative teacher who strives to bring real-world experiences to the students in her class and to all of the students in the school. She is full of energy and is an endless source of ideas and inspiration.”

The finalists were chosen from a pool of applicants all previously selected as their school district’s Teacher of the Year. The applications were read by a panel of judges that included teachers, past Georgia Teacher of the Year winners, administrators, community leaders, and others. The finalists were chosen based on the strength of their essay responses.

“The ten 2020 finalists for Georgia Teacher of the Year are an exceptional group of educators and I’m proud to call them my colleagues,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “Each one of them exemplifies what a teacher should be – caring, skilled, knowledgeable and intellectually curious, and first and foremost, laser-focused on the well-being, potential, and success of their students.”

Finalists will meet with a panel of judges for a formal interview and give speeches during a finalist luncheon today. The winner will be announced Saturday, May 18, 2019.

The 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year will travel around the state and the nation, serving as an ambassador for the teaching profession in Georgia. He or she will also be entered in the National Teacher of the Year competition.

Here are the Georgia Teacher of the Year finalists listed in alphabetical order by last name:

• Kristen Applebee, Georgia Academy for the Blind, State Schools 
• Amy Arnold, Colham Ferry Elementary School, Oconee County Schools
• Dr. David Bishop Collins, Fernbank Science Center, DeKalb County Schools
• Carlos Hernandez, General Ray Davis Middle School, Rockdale County Schools
• Lewis Kelly, Newton High School, Newton County Schools
• Tracey Nance Pendley, Burgess Peterson Academy, Atlanta Public Schools
• Stephanie Peterson, Westside Elementary School, Lowndes County Schools
• Kiana Pinckney, Palmetto Elementary School, Fulton County Schools
• Teresa Thompson, South Tattnall Middle School, Tattnall County Schools
• Francisco “Frank” Zamora, Johnson High School, Hall County Schools