The Top Five Teachers
Dealia Yancey, Evans Elementary School
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Dealia Yancy, Evans Elementary Teacher of the Year
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Dealia Yancey's pilgrimage to her third-grade classroom at Evans Elementary took her through several colleges and universities, as well as working with children in Berlin and other military installations around the country.
Yancey is noted for her creative approach to the classroom, employing a variety of costumes, characters, voices and settings to bring her lessons to life for her pupils.
She and her husband, Don, have lived in Augusta for seven years. They have one daughter, Sarah, who also lives in Augusta.
"There is no greater reward than to have the opportunity to educate our students and make a worthwhile investment in their futures," she said. "After all, they are the future of our world!"
One of her students summed Yancey up, saying "Mrs. Yancey dares to be different. That's why I love her."
Deanne Murphy, Greenbrier Elementary School
Deanne Murphy, Greenbrier Elementary School Teacher of the Year
Photo by Jim Blaylock
After graduating from Evans High School, Deanne Murphy attended Georgia Southern University, where she received a degree in early childhood education.
Murphy has been a teacher in Columbia County for 18 years. Her past four years have been spent as a kindergarten teacher at Greenbrier Elementary, where she has had the opportunity to work with a team of teachers and paraprofessionals.
Murphy says she has always felt that school should be an exciting place and that learning experiences should be memorable. She wants each day in her classroom to be a new experience for the pupils that she teaches.
She believes, "In life, we reap what we sow."
When not at school, Murphy enjoys spending time with her husband of 19 years, Randy, and their two sons, Aaron and Sean, who attend Greenbrier High School.
Tara Hansen, Stevens Creek Elementary School
Tara Hansen, Stevens Creek Elementary Teacher of the Year
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Tara Hansen teaches second-grade pupils at Stevens Creek Elementary and has been teaching for 10 years.
Murphy is inspired by her pupils commitment to the three L's - loyalty, love and learning.
"My husband and three children unconditionally support me in this honored profession," Hansen said.
She feels that her pupils, parents, colleagues and administrators are unyielding in their dedication to education.
"That dedication to our common mission has enabled me to thrive as a partner in the greatest profession in the world - to teach," she said.
Shaun Owen, Greenbrier Middle School
Shaun Owen, Greenbrier Middle School Teacher of the Year
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Shaun Owen has been a middle school teacher for the past 10 years.
Owen taught at Hephzibah Middle School for five years, where she received the Sallie Mae First Class Teacher Award.
"I absolutely love teaching," the social studies teacher said. "I derive a great deal of joy and satisfaction from inspiring young people. I have a tremendous passion for teaching and hope to make significant contributions to the field of education."
Karen Chase, Lakeside High School
Karen Chase, Lakeside High School Teacher of the Year
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Karen Chase's passion for teaching is driven by the diverse needs of her students.
Because each school year brings new challenges, she constantly seeks to grow professionally. Consequently, after receiving a bachelor's degree in English from Augusta State University, Chase earned a master's degree in education and is pursuing a specialist's degree.
In an effort to meet the specific needs of her students, Chase obtained endorsements in gifted and talented education, applied communications and reading. She also is certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Chase's family includes her husband, a fourth-grade teacher, and two teen-age daughters, Betsy and Katie.
"I can't imagine a more wonderful profession," she said. "I have the opportunity every day to touch the lives of young people, who will shape our future. Life doesn't get much better than that."