Teacher of the Year
2024-2025 Rebecca Bentley
Rebecca (Becky) Bentley is a 1994 graduate of Pelham High School and a 2009 graduate of Albany State University where she received a Bachelor of Scie
nce degree in Health and Physical Education. She has been teaching in the Mitchell County School System since January 2011. Ms. Bentley has been the Health and Physical Education teacher at Mitchell County Primary School for the past 13.5 years where she has touched the lives of many students and has become affectionately known as Ms. Coach Bentley. She has also coached softball, volleyball, girls’ basketball, and tennis throughout the years. Ms. Bentley incorporates activities into her daily lessons to reinforce classroom subject matters such as Sight Word Showdowns and Math Fact Fun. Though Coach Bentley believes academics are the primary basis for success, she also wants her students to know they can excel in other areas such as physical education and sports. Students not only learn how to win in her classes, but they also learn how to lose—a lesson that goes way beyond primary school ages. She goes above and beyond to reach her students and to make sure they feel important by greeting them by name and with a smile. When students leave the Primary School, Coach Bentley’s goal is for them to move to the next level with confidence.
nce degree in Health and Physical Education. She has been teaching in the Mitchell County School System since January 2011. Ms. Bentley has been the Health and Physical Education teacher at Mitchell County Primary School for the past 13.5 years where she has touched the lives of many students and has become affectionately known as Ms. Coach Bentley. She has also coached softball, volleyball, girls’ basketball, and tennis throughout the years. Ms. Bentley incorporates activities into her daily lessons to reinforce classroom subject matters such as Sight Word Showdowns and Math Fact Fun. Though Coach Bentley believes academics are the primary basis for success, she also wants her students to know they can excel in other areas such as physical education and sports. Students not only learn how to win in her classes, but they also learn how to lose—a lesson that goes way beyond primary school ages. She goes above and beyond to reach her students and to make sure they feel important by greeting them by name and with a smile. When students leave the Primary School, Coach Bentley’s goal is for them to move to the next level with confidence.2023-2024
Donna Worsham
Mitchell County Primary School Teacher of the Year
Ms. Donna Worsham has been a teacher for 33 years, and in the Mitchell County School System at Mitchell County Primary School for four years. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University.
Mrs. Worsham has a passion for educating all age groups, from the very young to senor citizens. She believes “that learning never ends; while finishing a project or task is a reward or an accomplishment, it just means it’s time to begin something new or the expansion of something old!” Mrs. Worsham insists that her greatest contribution is the “ability to lay the foundation by teaching her students the benefits of having a strong, language-rich vocabulary and creating a love for learning for 20 children each day.” She believes that it is important to build their vocabulary capacity because it empowers them to be more expressive in their verbal communication skills as well as their writing skills. While the education of her students is important, Mrs. Worsham places their mental health as a top priority as well. As she teaches children academic content, she also teaches them to share, show kindness, love, and support to their peers in their classrooms and others. She believes “we model and demonstrate what all these things look like. In her classroom, they refer to themselves collectively as “The Kindergarten Family.”
2022-2023
Eboni Rivera
Mitchell County Primary School Teacher of the Year
Eboni Rivera has been a teacher in the Mitchell County School System for four years. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Bethune-Cookman University and Master’s degree from F
ort Valley State University. Ms. Rivera stated “her heart has always belonged to bettering the lives of children, especially PreK children.” Ms. Rivera insists that her greatest contribution is the “ability to lay the foundation and create a love for education for 22 children each day.” She serves on the leadership team and is a mentor teacher. Rivera is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She believes that it is important to make the content relative to the student’s lives. Her classroom learning environment promotes fun, growth, and a strong sense of family. While the education of her students is important, Ms. Rivera places their mental health as a top priority as well. She teaches her students strong social-emotional skills and how to use their voice in a positive way. She has dedicated herself to her students, their families, and her community.
Mitchell County Primary School Teacher of the Year
Eboni Rivera has been a teacher in the Mitchell County School System for four years. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Bethune-Cookman University and Master’s degree from F
ort Valley State University. Ms. Rivera stated “her heart has always belonged to bettering the lives of children, especially PreK children.” Ms. Rivera insists that her greatest contribution is the “ability to lay the foundation and create a love for education for 22 children each day.” She serves on the leadership team and is a mentor teacher. Rivera is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She believes that it is important to make the content relative to the student’s lives. Her classroom learning environment promotes fun, growth, and a strong sense of family. While the education of her students is important, Ms. Rivera places their mental health as a top priority as well. She teaches her students strong social-emotional skills and how to use their voice in a positive way. She has dedicated herself to her students, their families, and her community. 2021-2022 MCSS Teacher of the Year and
MCPS Teacher of the Year
MCPS Teacher of the Year
Shunterra Lucy
Congratulations to Ms. Shunterra Lucy for being selected as the Mitchell County School System’s Teacher of the
Congratulations to Ms. Shunterra Lucy for being selected as the Mitchell County School System’s Teacher of the
Superintendent of Instruction Ms. Christy Wray surprised Ms. Lucy in her classroom to give her the news. Ms. Shunterra Lucy has worked at the primary school in the Mitchell County School System for the past nine years. She began her career as a Kindergarten teacher and has now been a Grade Level Chairperson and Leadership Team Member for 5 years. She received her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree from Albany State University. Ms. Lucy believes her greatest contribution “is bringing a pleasing, positive energy towards the school, followed by a commitment and willingness to collaborate with others…and a vision to enliven a child’s inner strengths, abilities, and talents through an enriching education.”
To support her community, Ms. Lucy implemented the Star Student of the Week program, where a student participates in meaningful practices, engaging experiences, and community events throughout the year, to help prepare culturally and academic endeavors outside of school. Every school year, she ensures her students are active members in their community. Ms. Lucy became a teacher because of the positive influence and encouragement of other amazing educators. According to Ms. Lucy, “I did not choose teaching; it chose me. This profession allows a person’s unique personality to evaluate the learning experience of a child. Being a great educator takes a lot of things but courage, patience, compassion and heart are the main components of being an excellent educator.” According to Ms. Lucy, she is an outstanding teacher because she never loses sight of what she’s trying to accomplish. She believes “we must find ways to drive the education field towards more rigorous standards and the first step is to raise the standards for ourselves.”
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Shalanda Quimbley
2019-2020 Mitchell County Primary School Teacher of the Year
Shalanda Quimbley is driven to help students overcome barriers that impact their learning. Mrs. Quimbley has been a s
pecial education teacher at Mitchell County Primary School for the past eight years. She attended Mitchell-Baker High School and graduated in 1997. She continued her academic education at Albany State University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and her Master’s Degree in Special Education. Later, she received her Specialist Degree in Special Education from Walden University. She has taught in various classroom settings including co-teaching in special education inclusion classrooms and resource classrooms. Mrs. Quimbley has served on various school improvement teams and is currently serving as team leader for the special education department at Mitchell County Primary School. As a teacher, she has a profound impact on her students' lives forever. She has witnessed as her students move on to the next level. As she thought back on the teachers she had when she was a child, she thought of the ones that had the greatest influence on her life. Some teachers were positive and some were negative, but they all helped shape her perspective as a teacher today. Being a teacher is certainly one of the most challenging careers, but it is the most rewarding profession there is. In choosing to become a teacher, she made a commitment to herself and her students to be the best academic, ethical, and personal role model she could be. Perhaps, her greatest contribution to teaching is sharing her knowledge, skills, strategies, and experiences with her students and families to inspire learning. She believes in making learning fun and engaging for all students despite their challenges. Her biggest goal is for her students to be life-long learners. Mrs. Quimbley loves the quote by Solomon Ortiz, “Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students.” Mrs. Quimbley feels as if she is here to ensure her students make their mark in the word with beautiful, colorful, and lasting ink.