NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Three East Tennessee teachers will be honored on Friday, and one could be named the state's Teacher of the Year.
The Tennessee Department of Education is hosting its Excellence in Education event on Friday, which will celebrate 65 years of the Teacher of the Year program.
The 2024-25 Teacher of the Year will be named Friday along with the recipient of the Milken Educator Award, the Presidential Award for Math and Science Teaching and the first cohort of Novice Teachers of the Year.
Among the lists of finalists for Teacher of the Year were Kylene Raper from Athens City Primary and Intermediate schools, Natalee Elkins from Houston Middle School in Knox County, and Bryan Kerns from Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport.
Below are all the finalists:
- Jenny Kiesel, Lakeland Preparatory School, Lakeland Schools
- Lee Lynn Campbell, Toone Elementary School, Hardeman County Schools
- Sherri Brawner, Gleason School, Weakley County Schools
- Elle Lee, Smyrna Middle School, Rutherford County Schools
- Niki Tuten, Bel-Aire Elementary School, Tullahoma City Schools
- Kaity Castleman, Hickory Creek Elementary School, Warren County Schools
- Kylene Raper, Athens City Primary and Athens City Intermediate School, Athens City Schools
- Natalee Elkins, Houston Middle School, Knox County Schools
- Bryan Kerns, Dobyns-Bennett High School, Kingsport City Schools
The ceremony will happen at 8 p.m. EDT on Aug. 23 at the Gaylor Opryland Convention Center.
