Virginia Teacher of Year Anthony Swann continues to inspire students, community through education
ROCKY MOUNT, Va. โ Once face-to-face with homelessness and lost in the foster care system, education saved one local teacherโs life. Every day as a working adult, Anthony Swann has the goal of using his passion to show students how education can change and save their lives, just like it did for him. The Franklin County teacher works at Rocky Mount Elementary. In the last year, he has been named district teacher of the year, state teacher of the year and has been appointed to the state board of education. Swann considers his students his children and recognizes his role and representation as a Black man.
Franklin County teacher to be featured on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt
If you tune in to NBCโs โNightly Newsโ on Thursday night, you might see a familiar face talking to Lester Holt. Anthony Swann, a fifth-grade teacher from Rocky Mount Elementary, will be featured on the popular newscast for its tribute to teachers. [โTeach for the love of your childrenโ: Franklin County teacher named Virginia Teacher of the Year]The Franklin County teacher was recognized as the 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year back in October. When Holt questioned him about his approach to teaching, Swann answered: โSo every day I see my children, I affirm them. And I am important.โ And so I just let them know that sometimes in life youโll experience challenges, but remember that youโre smart.โTo catch Swannโs segment, watch โNightly Newsโ on Thursday, Dec. 17, at 6:30 p.m. You can also watch it here.
Salem High School English teacher named 2020 Virginia Teacher of the Year
SALEM, Va. - A Salem teacher was named 2020 Virginia Teacher of the Year at a ceremony in Richmond on Monday night. Andrea Johnson, a 12th-grade English teacher at Salem High School, was selected from eight regional winners in Virginia announced last month. In addition to the 2020 Virginia Teacher of the Year, she's now Virginia's nominee for 2020 National Teacher of the Year. In 2014, she began teaching English at Andrew Lewis Middle and Salem High School in Salem. She now teaches at the high school, where she has served as the chair of the English department since 2017.