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Elkin City Schools on Tuesday named April Swarey Teacher of the Year for 2012-2013 at its annual End of Year Celebration held in Dixon Auditorium.

Swarey began her career with Elkin City Schools in 2008 as a substitute teacher in the English department. In 2010 she was employed as an English Teacher at Elkin High School.

Swarey attended Surry Community College where she earned an Associate in Arts in 1990. In 1992 she attended UNC Charlotte earning a B.A.in English and History. Returning to Surry Community College she earned an additional degree in Computer Programming. In 2006 she completed the NC Teach Program at NC State University.

Her most recent degree was earned in 2008 as she received her M.A. in English from NC State University.

Swarey said it’s important to her that as a teaching professional she get to know her students in order to highlight their individual strengths and abilities. She says she enjoys seeing the light of success in her students’ faces when they accomplish what they fear will never happen. April’s classroom consist of a culture in that each student is encouraged to speak each day, to share their thoughts, their hopes and their plans.

Elkin High Principal Mark Byrd said, “I remember when we interviewed Swarey she told us that I would see student oriented activities going on when I walked in her classroom. That has certainly been the case. She is a teacher who not only cares about her students, but their success as well. She has high expectations for her students in her classroom on a daily basis.”

The End of Year Celebration also recognized the Elkin Elementary School Teacher of the Year Melissa Smith and Bronson Ericksen Teacher of the Year for Elkin Middle School. Each of the school’s Teachers of the Year is interviewed before a panel which is made up of local community members. This year’s panel of volunteers included: Frank Beals-Edward Jones; George Crate-Town of Elkin; Lestine Hutchins-Mayor Town of Elkin; Chad Shore-Surry Community College; and Lori Tackitt-manager of the Elkin Walmart Superstore.

Elkin City Schools would like to thank our corporate sponsors for the Teacher of the Year gift basket. The corporate sponsors include: Aarons, Belk, Been Framed, Cedarbrook Country Club, Combs Butcher Shop, Elkin Jewelers, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Horace Mann, Jiffy Luge, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Lumini Body Works, Shutterbug and the Walmart Superstore.