Celebrating Excellence: Teachers, Mentors and Schools Take Center Stage at Tanger Center for Annual GCS Event
Gabrielle Brown
Greensboro, N.C. - One of Broadway's biggest stages was reimagined into a dazzling platform to spotlight Guilford County Schools' (GCS) outstanding educators.
The district hosted its annual Celebration of Excellence at the Tanger Center for the Performing Arts. A school spirit parade and a performance by the Page High drumline set the tone for a high-energy night of celebration. "Tonight, we highlight just a few of the employees who make Guilford County Schools the best place to learn, work, and grow," said Board of Education Vice Chair Bettye Jenkins, as she welcomed the crowd and expressed gratitude to sponsors including Guilford Education Alliance, shift_ed, Lenovo, the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, Bob Page, Brady Services, The Cemala Foundation, Cone Health, and Koury Corporation.
Throughout the event, Guilford County’s top educators and school leaders were recognized for their outstanding contributions. Stephanie Preston from the Middle College at GTCC – High Point was named Counselor of the Year, while Clifford Jackson took home the Social Worker of the Year award. Both were honored for their dedication to helping students overcome personal challenges and thrive in school.
The recognition continued with awards for the district's Rookie Teachers and Mentors. Alexander Holmes, a former journalist turned English teacher at High Point Central High, was named Rookie Teacher of the Year. Holmes describes literacy as a "non-negotiable skill" that will help students long after they graduate. Ashley Yow from Northeast High earned Mentor Teacher of the Year for her dedication to guiding new teachers.
Guilford County Schools’ theme is "Better Together," and evidence of this collective effort was visible throughout the ceremony. Superintendent Dr. Whitney Oakley took a moment to honor the district's classified staff, emphasizing the essential roles of bus drivers and custodians in keeping schools running smoothly.
Community partners were also recognized as they presented donations to sustain critical programs like high-dosage tutoring and telehealth services. Schools that achieved remarkable milestones were celebrated as well. Twenty-two GCS schools were recognized for achieving graduation rates above 90%, with several reaching a perfect 100%. Additionally, the district highlighted the top-performing schools in terms of academic growth. Twenty-eight schools exceeded growth expectations during the 2023-2024 school year, including three — Hairston Middle, The Middle College at GTCC Greensboro, and GTCC High Point — which exceeded growth for a third consecutive year.
The evening concluded with the biggest awards. Teacher, Assistant Principal and Principal of the Year. Alexa Veach, Sternberger Elementary’s first assistant principal took home the award for Assistant Principal of the Year. She was recognized for her work to create a safer environment for students and staff.
Jeff Silverthorne, a teacher at Western High’s Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics Signature Career Academy, won Teacher of the Year. Silverthorne, a military veteran with more than 30 years of experience in the logistics industry, brings an innovative approach to the classroom. “My approach involves forging strong partnerships with local businesses to create internship opportunities that are directly aligned with the workforce needs of our community,” Silverthorne said. “This initiative not only supports local economic growth by providing companies with career-ready individuals but also enriches students' educational journeys with practical, hands-on experiences in their fields of interest. By engaging students in real-world projects through these internships, they can apply classroom knowledge to practical challenges, thereby gaining a clearer understanding of their chosen career paths. These experiences are invaluable for developing both hard skills specific to their professions and soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.”
In addition to Teacher of the Year, Mr. Silverthorne also won High School Teacher of the Year. Natasha Richmond from Brightwood Elementary won Elementary Teacher of the Year, while Christen Blanton from the Academy at Lincoln was named Middle School Teacher of the Year.
Homegrown leader Dr. Jonathan Brooks now holds the title of GCS Principal of the Year. Dr. Brooks, who leads Bessemer Elementary — the same school he attended as a child — attributes his hands-on, collaborative approach to school improvement as the key to the growth of his students and staff. "As a leader, I ask for each committee or PLC in our school to complete a quarterly Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, or Threats (SWOT) analysis," Dr. Brooks explained. "From our cafeteria staff, custodial staff, EC department, or PreK team, all areas of the school evaluate our operations quarterly to ensure that individual efforts contribute to our collective goals as a school community." Dr. Brooks also took home the Elementary Principal of the Year award. Trent Vernon from Jamestown Middle received the Secondary Principal of the Year award, while Mike Hettenbach from High Point Central, Jennifer Cooper from Millis Road Elementary, and Leslie Kinard from Ferndale Middle were recognized as runners-up.
Dr. Brooks and Mr. Silverthorne will represent Guilford County Schools in the regional Principal and Teacher of the Year competitions. For a full list of finalists for every category, click here.
