By Joshua Huff, sports editor
PINSON — The accolades for Pinson Valley High School AP science teacher Alana White continue to grow following the announcement on Thursday, June 4, 2020, that she has been selected as a finalist for the 2020-21 Alabama Teacher of the Year.
White joins 16 other educators throughout the state selected as finalists. Her inclusion into the final pool comes after the Alabama State Department of Education narrowed the field from 140 teachers down to the final 16.
The honor of being named as Alabama Teacher of the Year comes with the responsibility of serving as a full-time ambassador for education and the teaching profession, as well as presenting workshops to various groups and participating on the national level.
“As I reflect on my journey as the 2019-2020 Alabama Teacher of the Year, I would like to send a message of appreciation and solidarity to all my fellow educators during this critical time,” Alabama’s current Teacher of the Year Ana Behel said. “Even though we do not claim to have all the answers and are still exploring an uncharted territory, we are modeling for our students the power of having a growth mindset and not giving up as we work hard to identify the most effective ways to reach them.”
The honor for White comes after she was named as the Teacher of the Year by the Jefferson County Board of Education on March 10, 2020.
The Alabama Teacher of the Year will be named in August.
Michelle Wade
- Saraland Early Education Center
- Saraland City School System
- District One Elementary Teacher of the Year
David Dai
- Alma Bryant High School
- Mobile County School System
- District One Secondary Teacher of the Year
Kathryn Knorr
- Ogletree Elementary School
- Auburn City School System
- District Two Elementary Teacher of the Year
Jessica Bowlin
- Auburn High School
- Auburn City School System
- District Two Secondary Teacher of the Year
Meredith Mitchell
- Redland Elementary School
- Elmore County School System
- District Three Elementary Teacher of the Year
Michael Sinnott
- Vestavia Hills High School
- Vestavia Hills City School System
- District Three Secondary Teacher of the Year
Paul David Kelsey
- Pleasant Grove Elementary School
- Jefferson County School System
- District Four Elementary Teacher of the Year
Rebecca Blumenfeld
- George Washington Carver High School
- District Four Secondary Teacher of the Year
Sontessia L. Youngblood
- Banks School
- Pike County School System
- District Five Elementary Teacher of the Year
Hannah Hamm Bradford
- Pike Road High School
- Pike Road City School System
- District Five Secondary Teacher of the Year
Andrew Fletcher Jackson
- Eden Elementary School
- Pell City School System
- District Six Elementary Teacher of the Year
Niki L. Bowling
- Arab High School
- Arab City School System
- District Six Secondary Teacher of the Year
Chelsea Byrd
- Maddox Intermediate School
- Jasper City School System
- District Seven Elementary Teacher of the Year
Alana White
- Pinson Valley High School
- Jefferson County School System
- District Seven Secondary Teacher of the Year
Tonya Wilburn
- Plainview School
- DeKalb County School System
- District Eight Elementary Teacher of the Year
Angela M. Jackson Pettus
- Athens High School
- Athens City School System
- District Eight Secondary Teacher of the Year