By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY—The Shelby County School System revealed the 2015 Teachers of the Year during a ceremony at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 1. Hosted by the Shelby County Schools Education Foundation, the annual event celebrates the district’s outstanding teachers.

Every school in the district nominated a school-wide teacher of the year. From these 30 candidates, three teachers were selected as the district’s Teachers of the Year.

Elvin Hills Elementary School’s Martha Bentley was named the Elementary School Teacher of the Year, Helena Middle School’s Elizabeth Burttram was named the Middle School Teacher of the Year and Oak Mountain High School’s Amanda Nichole Bittinger was named the High School Teacher of the Year.

“The single thread that connected all of (the Teachers of the Year) is they don’t just help with instruction and teaching,” Kendall Williams, director of the Shelby County Schools Education Foundation, said. “They inspire and make an impact on their students.”

The Shelby County School System has been granting Teacher of the Year Awards for more than 26 years, and selecting the three winners is always difficult, Elementary School Coordinator Ricky Darby said.

“All of our teachers do a great job,” Darby said. “It’s a great experience and to hear (the teachers’) stories, that’s really neat.”

The Shelby County Education Foundation introduced a video element to this year’s Teacher of the Year ceremony. The three winning teachers were revealed by a short video featuring personal messages from students and co-workers.

“There was a lot of laughter and a lot of tears,” Williams said. “It really clarified that these teachers inspire every day.”

In addition to honoring the three Teachers of the Year, the 27 nominated teachers were also recognized.

The elementary school nominees were: Kathryn Glass, Calera Elementary; Tyler Rollin, Calera Intermediate; Amy Gerdes Floyd, Chelsea Park Elementary; Tyler Anderson, Forest Oaks Elementary; Shannon Moseley, Helena Elementary; Amanda Wewers Miller, Helena Intermediate; Joan Ray, Inverness Elementary; Kim Lolley, Linda Nolen Learning Center; Tonya Littlejohn, Montevallo Elementary; Katherine Thompson, Mt Laurel Elementary; Amanda Johnson, Oak Mountain Elementary; Jenny Elizabeth Wood, Oak Mountain Intermediate; Kristal R. Lawrence, Shelby Elementary; Marlee Clifton, Vincent Elementary; Allison Studdard, Wilsonville Elementary.

The middle school nominees were: Christopher Oravet, Calera Middle; Deana C. Rizzo, Chelsea Middle; Becky Bagby, Columbiana Middle; Bethany Norris Bishop, Montevallo Middle; Heather Holmes, Oak Mountain Middle.

The high school nominees were Alice LaGrone, Calera High; Heather E. Taylor, Chelsea High; Lisa Essman, Helena High; Jordan Pritchett, Montevallo High; Jerry L. Goggins; Dustin Clecker, Shelby County High; Mary Marbut, Vincent High.

Every teacher received a $25 gift card to Books-A-Million. The three Teachers of the Year each received a $500 stipend from the Shelby County Schools Education Foundation, matched by a $500 gift card to Books-A-Million.