Two Upstate Educators Among S.C. Teacher of the Year Finalists

Two educators from the Upstate are among the finalists for South Carolina Teacher of the Year.

Kelly H. Nalley, a fifth-grade Spanish teacher at Fork Shoals School in Greenville County and Dr. Samantha Maddox, an English/language arts teacher at Spartanburg High School in Spartanburg School District Seven are among the five contenders.

The other finalists are Melody Johnson, a fourth-grade teacher at Lugoff Elementary School in Kershaw County, Julia Goodman Marshall, a fifth-grade teacher at Oakdale Elementary School in Rock Hill School District and Olivia "Libby" Ortmann, a six-to-eighth grade teacher at Alice Drive Middle School in Sumter School District 17.

The announcement of South Carolina’s 2010-11 Teacher of the Year will be made at the corporate-sponsored Teacher of the Year celebration Wednesday, April 28 in Columbia.

South Carolina’s new Teacher of the Year also receives a $25,000 cash award and a BMW X5 48i to use for a year. She will also participate in Leadership South Carolina, attend Notre Dame’s prestigious three-day Excellence in Teaching Symposium and receive a SMART board. 

The four remaining finalists, or Honor Roll teachers, will receive $10,000 each, and the district teachers of the year will receive $1,000 each.

The South Carolina Department of Education released the following biographies of the two nominated teachers from the Upstate:

Kelly H. Nalley, Second-fifth-grade Spanish at Fork Shoals School, Greenville County A former teaching cadet, Nalley believes that each child has the potential and ability to learn. She says it’s her job to encourage them to fly high, support them and teach them how to choose the right path and become lifelong learners. Every day, she works to inspire students to see the world beyond the classroom and to turn mirrors into windows. For example, she encouraged Amber’s decision to teach and Nick’s desire to travel across Spain. A frequently sought presenter, Nalley received her bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Clemson University and a master’s degree from Furman University. This 13-year teaching veteran has also earned 30 hours above the master’s degree.

Dr. Samantha Maddox, English/language arts, Spartanburg High School, Spartanburg School District 7 Maddox is a successful grant writer who has developed a Read for Success program which involves her Dutch Shepherd Remo and struggling readers. She has created a library of high-interest books and has revamped her American literature course to include minority and contemporary writers. Maddox strives to listen to her students’ fears, help them reveal their strengths, face their challenges, and be the support they need to rise above circumstances that are not always ideal. A "black belt," she teaches yoga to Girl Scouts and is a fitness instructor. She is a graduate of Wofford College and received a master of education degree from Converse College and doctorate in education from the University of South Carolina. She is National Board-certified and has 16 years teaching experience.