Campbellsville University honors teachers throughout Kentucky for excellence in teaching

By Joan C McKinney, Campbellsville University
News and Publications coordinator and
Ashley Bolton, studnt news writer
Dr. Brenda Priddy, dean of the Campbellsville University School of Education, congratulated 167 teachers from 63 school districts throughout Kentucky as they received the Campbellsville University Excellence in Teaching Award Saturday, May 12, on the CU campus.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the teachers we are honoring truly believe that teaching is a ‘calling’ placed on their lives by our Lord Jesus Christ,” she said.
“May God bless each of you and continue to do mighty works through your service to the teaching profession and through the example that you set for students in your classrooms and schools every day.”
She quoted from Ephesians 4:11-12 where the apostle Paul says: “Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, teachers, so that His people would learn to serve and His body would grow strong.”
Dr. Frank Cheatham, vice president for academic affairs, said, “Teaching is certainly a calling. I congratulate you for your efforts in the classroom. It’s a hard job.”
Benji Kelly, vice president for development, gave the invocation for the event and thanked the teachers for their hard work.
Dr. Donna Hedgepath, associate dean of the School of Education and associate professor of education, read the names of the award winners.
Campbellsville University began the Excellence in Teaching Awards Program in 1987 with assistance from Earl Aaron and the Ward, Cundiff and Aaron Memorial Fund.
The purpose of the program is to recognize the quality teaching and learning taking place in the school systems throughout Kentucky.
Through the awards program, CU presents certificates to teachers in each grade level [preschool/elementary (P-5), middle grades (6-8) and high school (9-12)] as selected by their school districts.
The Excellence in Teaching Awards program is in partnership with Lexington’s CBS-affiliate, WKYT-TV.
The Excellence in Teaching Award recipients include the following with their superintendent listed first:
Harrison County School System – Andy Dotson, superintendent; Terri Leigh Durbin, Northside Elementary; Steven R. Jones, Harrison County Middle School; and Joann K. Clapp, Harrison County High School.
Durbin teaches second grade at Northside Elementary. She is a 1986 graduate of Belfry High School in Belfry, Ky.
She received her bachelor of science in elementary education from Eastern Kentucky University in 1990. She also received her master’s degree in counseling from Eastern Kentucky University in 1998. In 2002, she received her Rank I in administration from Eastern Kentucky University.
She is the wife of William Durbin. Her two children are Sarah and Ryan.
Jones teaches eighth grade language arts/English at Harrison County Middle School. He is a 1989 graduate of Scott County High School in Georgetown, Ky.
He received his bachelor of arts in history from Eastern Kentucky University in 1995. He later received a bachelor of science in education, also from Eastern Kentucky University, in 2000. In 2010, he received a master of arts in education from Eastern Kentucky University.
Clapp teaches ninth through 12th grade Spanish at Harrison County High School. She graduated from Harrison County High School in 1979.
She received a bachelor of arts from Georgetown College in 1979. In 1983, she received a master’s degree, also from Georgetown, and received a second master’s degree in 2000 from the University of Kentucky.
She is the mother of Dakota James Clapp.

JOANN K. CLAPP, STEVEN R. JONES AND TERRI L. DURBIN