Sarah Bowman, seventh grade teacher at Innovation Academy at South Campus, was selected as a finalist for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) 2020 Prudential NC Beginning Teacher of the Year Award in honor of her dedication, innovation, and ability to inspire students to achieve.
Bowman is one of 27 regional winners in North Carolina, and the only teacher from Johnston County Public Schools, to be named a finalist for the 2020 NCCAT Beginning Teacher of the Year Award.
“I am absolutely humbled, honored, and excited to have been named a finalist for the NCCAT Beginning Teacher of the Year Award. The opportunity to go to NCCAT and represent Johnston County Public Schools and my school, Innovation Academy at South Campus, is not one of individual work, but rather the work of many teachers, mentors, colleagues, administration, family members, and all of my students who have helped me to grow in my journey as a beginning teacher,” said Bowman. “Being named a finalist is an opportunity for me to go and represent all of the people who have supported me throughout this year and helped me to grow into the teacher I am today.”
The award is scheduled to be presented on April 15, 2021, at the NCCAT Cullowhee Campus.
“Having had the opportunity to visit Ms. Bowman’s classroom several times, I am always excited to see the engaging, hands-on activities she plans for her students,” said Dr. Todd Holmes, Executive Director of Beginning Teacher Support for JCPS. “Whether it is building their own hand-held wind turbines, or using soap bubbles to draw comparisons with a cell membrane, she provides a fun, positive, and curriculum-based classroom environment for all students.”
The NCCAT Beginning Teacher of the Year prizes include:
- The award winner receives – $5,000 cash prize, Participation in a GoGlobal NC trip, and Instructional supply funds for the teacher’s school
- Runner-up receives – $2,000 cash prize
- All finalists receive – Travel expenses to participate in NCCAT professional development and leadership development
“We appreciate the enthusiastic response from all over the state for the Beginning Teacher of the Year Award,” said NCCAT Executive Director M. Brock Womble. “These finalists provide a snapshot of the lasting impact great teachers have on our students from the first to the last day they step into a North Carolina public school. We are excited about this opportunity to honor teachers for the important work they do in our state.”
NCCAT provides teachers with new knowledge, skills, teaching methods, best practices, and information to take back to their classrooms. For more information on the NCCAT Beginning Teacher of the Year program, visit www.nccat.org/btoy.
