FRANKFORT — Durell “Butch” Hamm, an English and communications teacher at Larry A. Ryle High School in Boone County, has been named Kentucky’s Teacher of the Year.
Hamm was honored – along with Melissa Evans from Corbin as Middle School Teacher of the Year and Jan Vaughn Horn of Clark County as the Elementary School Teacher of the Year – at a ceremony Friday sponsored by Ashland, Inc.
Hamm won a $10,000 cash prize as well as a sabbatical financed by the Kentucky Department of Education. Evans and Horn received $3,000 checks.
In all, 24 Kentucky teachers were recognized as 2010 Ashland Teacher Achievement Award Winners. Among the 24 were Sally Robinson, teacher at Berea Community High School; James Carrier, teacher at McKinney Elementary in Lincoln County; Jennifer Chaplin of Monticello High School; Anita Laney of Elliott County High School; and Melissa Singleton of Rockcastle County Middle School. Each of the 24 nominees received a $500 prize.
Hamm earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Morehead State University and library media services certification from Marshall University and a Rank I certification from Wayne State University. He received a Kentucky Distinguished Teacher Award from the Presidential Scholars and U.S. Department of Education and Excellence in Teaching Award from Campbellsville University.
Evans has taught for 16 years, most of them teaching science and language arts. She earned bachelor’s and masters degrees and her Rank I certification from Union College. But she deflected individual praise, instead sharing credit with her colleagues.
“It’s a really big honor,” Evans said. “But I feel like it’s shared with everyone in my district. It’s hard to really stand out in Corbin because you’re around so many excellent teachers. I feel like it’s because of my colleagues who inspire me every day.”
Evans said her teaching style is tailored to her middle school students – a time of life when they experience many changes.
“I don’t really like to lecture middle school kids because you’d lose them inside of five minutes,” Evans said. “So I try to keep them active and busy, hands on and minds on.”
Horn is beginning her ninth year teaching and sixth at Shearer Elementary in Clark County where she teaches language arts to fifth-graders. Horn earned her a bachelor’s degree at Transylvania University and a master’s degree and Rank I from Eastern Kentucky University. She is the recipient of a 2009 Campbellsville University Excellence in Teaching.
According to Helen Mountjoy, Secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, Ashland has awarded $575,000 to 375 teachers since 1975.
Gov Steve Beshear was also on hand and said teachers have to be special for parents to entrust their children. They are underpaid, he said, and under appreciated.
“There is no more important job in the commonwealth of Kentucky than a teacher in our classroom,” he said.
RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.
State News
Hamm teacher of the year
Corbin's Melissa Evans Middle School TOY
- State News
-
-
Ky Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton elected to 2nd term
FRANKFORT Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton has been re-elected unanimously by his fellow justices to serve another term as the court’s Chief Justice.
-
Secretary of state forecasting 10-12 percent primary turnout
FRANKFORT Kentucky’s chief election officer isn’t happy about it, but she’s predicting only a 10 to 12 percent turnout in Tuesday’s election.
Alison Lundergan Grimes said Thursday she can detect only “minimal to moderate -
Farmer may face scrutiny from ethics panel
FRANKFORT Richie Farmer’s administration of the state Department of Agriculture will undergo at least an initial review by the body charged with oversight of executive branch ethics and by another charged with reviewing personnel matters.
-
Kentucky ICAC Task Force Works To Protect Children Online
FRANKFORT, Ky. – As technology grows, so does the opportunity for child pornographers to exploit it. Social networking sites, chat rooms, file-sharing programs, message boards and forums now make it easier for offenders to
-
Lawmakers return to Frankfort
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Lawmakers kicked off a special legislative session Monday to pass a transportation budget and a prescription drug abuse bill.
-
Tales of survival from Woodward's deadly tornado
Stirring stories of survival are emerging from Woodward's tornado, but none was more compelling than that of an 87-year-old widow who escaped unscathed by hiding in her bedroom closet while her house exploded around her. Sixty-five years earlier she survived Oklahoma's deadliest tornado, one that killed 116 of her neighbors, by hiding under a dining room table.
-
Gambling amendment introduced
Gov. Steve Beshear and Republican Sen. Damon Thayer on Tuesday announced the much anticipated gambling amendment they hope to push through the legislature, an amendment that would allow up to seven casinos, five at existing
-
Judge nixes redistricting plans
Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd on Tuesday at least temporarily threw out the General Assembly’s plans to redraw state legislative districts and ordered 2012 elections to be conducted under the previous district boundaries unless
-
Minton asks for additional funding
With several circuit clerks seated behind him, Kentucky’s Chief Justice of the Supreme Court told a legislative budget subcommittee Tuesday the court system can’t retain entry-level employees because as soon as they are trained they’re
-
Shepherd brings legislature to stop
FRANKFORT — Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd not only put on hold the filing deadline for candidates for state House and Senate districts — he effectively shut down the business of the General Assembly.
- More State News Headlines
-
Ky Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton elected to 2nd term
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
