Jefferson’s restaurants are pleased to announce the first-ever Nashville area Jefferson’s Teachers of the Year winners. Each Jefferson’s location in the Nashville area has honored a local winner:
- Brentwood: Rachel Lytle teaches standard, honors, and AP Biology at Brentwood High School and has been teaching for 11 years. She is passionate about continuous growth–each year she attends and presents at the National Association of Biology Teachers conference, and she also has served as an AP Biology test reader and instructional video creator for College Board’s AP Classroom. She was chosen for her deep passion for her subject–which she has passed along to her students.
- Columbia: Will Walker teaches sixth grade English Language Arts at Mount Pleasant Middle School for the Visual and Performing Arts and has been teaching for over 12 years. Before becoming an educator, he served in the US Air Force. Mr. Walker was chosen for his storytelling, humor, and enthusiasm in the classroom, which have allowed him to connect academically and personally with his students.
- Fairview: Angela Campbell teaches kindergarten at Westwood Elementary School, and is in her 16th year in the classroom. Both of Mrs. Campbell’s parents were public school teachers, and she knew as a senior in high school that she too would become a teacher. Mrs. Campbell was selected for her determination to make sure every student is included and provided for, offering her own resources and her classroom to any child in need.
- Murfreesboro: Rickey Field teaches physical education at Riverdale High School and has been teaching for 41 years. He is also a track coach, and was inspired to become an educator because of an outstanding teacher he himself had growing up in Murfreesboro. Mr. Field was chosen for his tremendous history of serving as a mentor and parent figure to countless students over the years.
Each teacher was chosen from a highly competitive pool of nominations submitted by students and community members. The contest, launched in honor of National Teachers’ Day on May 6, aims to recognize a few of the many deserving teachers in the Nashville area. Jefferson’s selected Lytle, Walker, Campbell, and Field as the Teachers of the Year for their commitment to not only teaching their students, but also changing their lives for the better.
“Our educators Lytle, Walker, Campbell, and Field are all teachers that are beloved by their communities,” said Jefferson’s President Brandon Graham. “They’re selfless and passionate about meeting each student where they are. Our nominators told us stories of our winners serving as parent figures for children who lost parents, organizing class trips to local bookstores, dressing up as book characters or themes, and working long hours to ensure their students love learning. We’re honored to recognize them for their outstanding service to their students and communities.”
Each teacher will receive a $500 gift card to Jefferson’s, and their achievement will be commemorated with a “Jefferson’s Teacher of the Year” plaque for all restaurant patrons to see.
This year is the pilot run for the Jefferson’s Teacher of the Year award, launched as a sister program to Jefferson’s Coach of the Year award, which runs in the fall. The teachers’ initiative was open to teachers working with students of any age, and candidates could be nominated by students, parents and guardians of students, school officials, or other community members.