This afternoon, Cumberland County Schools (CCS) named its 2026 Teacher of the Year (TOY) and Beginning Teacher of the Year (BTOY) Finalists. They are as follows:
2026 Teacher of the Year Finalists
Pine Forest Attendance Area:
Elwanda McLaurin at Spring Lake Middle School
Seventy-First Attendance Area:
Lydian Washington at E.E. Miller Elementary School
Jack Britt Attendance Area:
Holley Hall at New Century International Elementary School
South View Attendance Area:
Tanner Nygaard at South View High School
Douglas Byrd Attendance Area:
Manzell Spencer, Jr. at Douglas Byrd Middle School
Cape Fear Attendance Area:
Kelly Osornio at Cape Fear High School
Gray's Creek Attendance Area:
Lucas Lohr at Gray's Creek Middle School
Westover Attendance Area:
Mary Cuevas at Westover Middle School
Terry Sanford Attendance Area:
Jennifer Guy at Terry Sanford High School
E.E. Smith Attendance Area:
Sandra Melvin at Lucile Souders Elementary School
2026 Beginning Teacher of the Year Finalists
Leia Hurst at Stoney Point Elementary School
Cynthia Burks at Massey Hill Classical High School
Amber Autry at Cape Fear High School
Hannah Bobby at Beaver Dam Elementary School
Emma Wright at Eastover-Central Elementary School
Crystal Shields at Gray's Creek Middle School
Shameka Freeman at Ponderosa Elementary School
Carl Douglas at Westover Middle School
Brittany Walker at Warrenwood Elementary School
Maya Lucente at Westarea Elementary School
CCS' 2026 Teacher of the Year and Beginning Teacher of the Year will be announced during the district's 2026 Premier Professionals Gala on September 8.