Hamilton County High School Teacher Named Outstanding Educator

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. – Hamilton County High School teacher Rachel Turner has been named one of Humanities Tennessee’s Outstanding Educators for 2017.

Ms. Turner is one of only six educators in the state to receive this honor.

She is the only recipient from Hamilton County.

Hamilton County High School Principal Gary Kuehn was proud to announce the win. “Ms. Turner is a big part of why HCHS is a passport to your future. I’m thrilled her dedication to students, their families, and the whole community is being recognized with such a high honor.”

Hamilton County Department of Education Interim Superintendent Dr. Kirk Kelly added, “Ms. Turner perfectly illustrates one of our strategic goals in Hamilton County: Great Teachers, Great Leaders. Teachers are the single largest in-school factor that influence a student’s success, and we are pleased her hard work was noticed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils.”

Each recipient of the Outstanding Humanities Educator Award receives a $2,000 fellowship to further his or her professional development in the humanities. It can be used to cover tuition, travel, living expenses for graduate courses, workshops, seminars in the humanities or in support of travel and other expenses for research and enrichment.

The award recipient’s school also receives a $1,500 grant that can be used to purchase instructional materials for student humanities projects.

Ms. Turner’s portion will be used in her classroom for the purchase of Humanities instructional materials.

Outstanding Educator Awards are available for up to six full-time, 3rd–12th grade Tennessee teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching the humanities, thus making the humanities an important part of their students’ lives.

Since 1985, Humanities Tennessee has awarded almost $400,000 to 169 teachers in Tennessee

*Photo from Hamilton County Department of Education