Local educators, left to right, Shirley Burger, Terri Murray, Nat Akiona, Zach Riggins, Mary Lynn West, and Phyllis Altopp received recognition for demonstrating excellence in the classroom during a special ceremony at Lee University. Click to enlarge.
- photo by Lee University
The local chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society for educators, honored six local teachers in its “Honor an Educator” ceremony at Lee University. Recognizing the impact that an educator can have upon his or her students, the society honored Nat Akiona, Phyllis Altopp, Shirley Burger, Terri Murray, Zach Riggins, and Mary Lynn West for demonstrating excellence within the classroom.
Ms. Murray currently serves as the Supervisor of Federal Projects/Media Director for Bradley County Schools. Ms. Murray has worked in the education profession for 26 years and has been honored with an Outstanding Service Award as Intern Mentor for ETSU, Outstanding Young Woman of America Award, International Who’s Who of Professional Educators Award, Supervisor of the Year Runner-Up, and the Tennessee Excellence in Special Education Administrator of the Year Award.
Mr. Akiona is currently the ninth grade English/Theatre Arts Teacher at Walker Valley High School. Prior to working at Walker Valley, he was a ninth grade English teacher at Bradley Junior High School. Mr. Akiona has been working as an educator for nine years and received the Most Inspirational Teacher Award for Walker Valley in 2005. Mr. Akiona is also nominated for the Teacher of the Year Award for Bradley County Schools for 2006.
Ms. Altopp teaches first grade at Yates Elementary and has been in the education profession for 32 years. She won the Bradley County elementary school system’s Teacher of the Year award in 2002, was named Teacher of the Year at Hickman Elementary in Nashville in 1994, and has been awarded numerous grants from the Cleveland Education Foundation.
MS. Burger is currently a fourth grade teacher at Charleston Elementary and has worked as an educator for 25 years. Ms. Burger has been awarded the Building Level Teacher of the Year for Bradley County Schools twice, and has also been awarded a 4-H Leadership Award and A.R. Model Teacher award three times.
Mr. Riggins is the current band director for Cleveland High School and has been in the education profession for eight years. He also serves as a drill writer for seven area schools and has received superior ratings in concert band and marching band. Prior to Cleveland High School, Mr. Riggins worked in the Majic of Orlando drum and bugle corps and in the Phantom Regiment drum and bugle corps.
Ms. West is a special education teacher at Cleveland Middle School. She has been in the education profession for 30 years.