Half of 2025 Muscogee County teachers of the year are Columbus State grads

January 28, 2025

Half of this year’s class of Muscogee County School District Teacher of the Year honorees have a Columbus State University degree hanging on their walls. Furthermore, several in the group have two—and even three—CSU degrees.

The Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation (MEEF), which coordinates the annual Teacher of the Year selection and recognition process on the school system’s behalf, announced this year’s honorees on Jan. 16 in the university’s Legacy Hall. Of the 54 educators named teachers of the year by their respective schools, 27 are Columbus State graduates.

“These outstanding educators exemplify the heart of our mission, which is to recognize and reward exceptional teachers,” MEEF Chairman Wes Kelley said. “Each honoree brings innovation, passion and dedication to the classroom, creating transformative learning experiences that benefit not only our students but our entire community.”

Annually, staff at each MCSD school selects its school’s teacher of the year. Those school-level honorees then become nominees for district-level teacher of the year honors. MEEF’s selection committee, comprising Columbus business and education leaders, evaluates the applications to narrow the field to 10 semifinalists. The committee then interviews those semifinalists to determine its three finalists, which the committee then observes in the classroom to determine its top teacher for that year.

MEEF will announce its 2025 Teacher of the Year winner at its annual gala on Thursday, May 1 at the Columbus Convention & Trade Center. The $55 tickets will go on sale March 24 at the RiverCenter Box Office.

Christie Akers (pictured), last year’s district teacher of the year, is a two-time Columbus State graduate. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature in 2003, and a master’s in secondary education in English language arts in 2007. The district’s 2022 honoree, Vanessa Ellis ’11, ’19, went on to capture the 2024 Georgia Teacher of the Year runner-up title .

According to the Muscogee County School District, more than half of the system’s 5,500 educators, school counselors and administrators hold degrees from Columbus State. That is due in part to its “CSU Teaching Contract Guarantee” partnership launched in 2019. The guarantee ensures a system teaching contract for any Columbus State teacher education graduate who passes the student teaching component of their degree, and who meets Georgia Professional Standards Commission induction certification requirements.

Students can pursue or deepen their teaching, counseling and leadership careers in the university’s College of Education & Health Professions, which offers a wide range of in-person, fully online or hybrid programs for aspiring elementary, secondary and higher education professionals. Those programs lead to bachelor’s degrees in education (B.S.Ed.), master of arts in teaching (M.A.T.) degrees, educational specialist (Ed.S.) degrees, and doctorate in education (Ed.D.) degrees. Students can also pursue graduate-level add-on certificates and graduate endorsements.

Muscogee County School District's 2025 Teacher of the Year honorees

2025 Muscogee County School District Teachers of the Year who are Columbus State alumni:

• April Allen ’14, Baker Middle
• Karissa Branch ’13, Northside High
• Heaven Briggs ’20, Rothschild Leadership Academy
• Meghann Burnett ’13, Reese Road Elementary
• Beth Carlisle ’97,’98,’02, Clubview Elementary
• Jamila Collington ’21, Wesley Heights Elementary
• Tracy Comer ’98, Fox Elementary
• Alexandra Countryman ’20, South Columbus Elementary
• Dakota Crawford ’16,’20, Mary A. Buckner Academy
• Jill Davis ’06, North Columbus Elementary
• Mandi Farmer ’11, Blanchard Elementary
• Aaron Guest ’12,’17, Spencer High
• Eretha Hamilton-Smith ’18,’24, Double Churches Middle
• Kenisha Huff ’08, Blackmon Road Middle
• Aura Johnson ’20, Key Elementary
• Marta Lopez ’21, Rainey-McCullers School of the Arts
• Timothy Murphy ’20, Fort Service-Learning Magnet Academy
• Jennifer Parker ’93,’97 Lonnie Jackson Academy
• Melanie Parrish ’09, Mathews Elementary
• Christie Scarbrough ’97,’06, Veterans Memorial Middle
• Abby Serrano ’20, Eagle Ridge Academy
• Amber Slater ’14, Dimon Magnet Academy
• Sherri Smith ’02,’08, River Road Elementary
• Brandon Sweeney ’20, Hardaway High
• Courtney Warren ’18, Downtown Elementary
• Amanda Zarate ’16,’19, Wynnton Arts Academy
• German Zurita ’10, Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary

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Media contacts:
Columbus State University: Michael Tullier, Executive Director, Strategic Communication + Marketing, 706.507.8729, mtullier@columbusstate.edu  
Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation: Marquette McKnight, Administrator, 706.660.9702, marquette@mediamarketingandmore.com 
Muscogee County School District: Kimberly Wright, Director of Communication, 706.668.0741, Wright.Kimberly.A@muscogee.k12.ga.us