High 5 for Teachers winner awarded prize
After a week of online voting, Apalachee High School math teacher and assistant basketball coach Valerie Lancaster won $2,500 for her school as High 5 for Teacher's 2025 winner.
Apalachee HS math teacher wins High 5 for Teachers contest
Apalachee High School's math teacher and assistant basketball coach Valerie Lancaster's dedication to her students helped her win this year's High 5 for Teacher's contest.
High 5 for Teachers: Franklin Huff
South Atlanta High School social studies teacher Franklin Huff knows how to keep his students engaged. The former Marine and Atlanta police officer wants to add a little bit of light in his kids' lives while educating them.
High 5 for Teachers: Matt Bartula
After nearly 30 years as a full-time teacher at Sequoyah High School in Canton, it's hard not to imagine Matt Bartula doing anything else. The social studies teacher says an assignment from one of his own high school teachers helped change his life completely.
High 5 for Teachers: Sharee Thomas
After working as an EMT, Sharee Thomas has a change of heart and decided to help students get excited about science. She now brings the the inspiration and education to every one of her classes at Pope High School in Marietta.
High 5 for Teachers: Valerie Lancaster
Valerie Lancaster is a teacher at Apalachee High School. She teaches math and is an assistant basketball coach and she really loves her students. She also saved the life of another coach and teacher during the Apalachee High School mass shooting last year.
High 5 for Teachers: Lynel Goodwin
Lynel Goodwin, who is in charge of the band program at Jonesboro High School, is a finalist in this year's High 5 for Teachers. He has been the director of bands for 9 years for the schools and has reportedly moved earth, wind and fire to grow the program.
Clayton County coach wins High 5 for Teachers contest
Mundy's Mill High School PE teacher Arquavis Searcy earned $2,500 for his school after winning this year's High 5 for Teachers contest. Paul Milliken was there to give him his trophy in front of a gym full of students.
High 5 for Teachers: Bryan Thompson
It may be Bryan Thompson's first year at Eagles Landing High School, but he's already been inspiring his students to get excited about learning American history.
High 5 for Teachers: Arquavis Searcy
Mundy Middle School PE teacher Arquavis Searcy goes above and beyond to help his students bring home the gold, but he says the greatest reward happens off the court.
High 5 for Teachers: Dr. Kawalie Fataki
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. High School French teacher Dr. Kawalie Fataki was inspired by the civil rights leader to come to Atlanta. Now the teacher and native of Uganda uses his class to share his culture and life with his students.
High 5 for Teachers: Candence Jones
Candence Jones is a 12th grade English teacher at Charles R. Drew High School in Riverdale. She became a teacher after studying criminal justice law and working as a corrections officer. But she's not just a teacher. She's also the head girls basketball coach, boys tennis coach, student government association sponsor, 12th grade sponsor, school brand ambassador and more. And it's that level of commitment that her students value the most.
High 5 for Teachers: Meet Kevin Brown
Kevin Brown is the director of bands at Villa Rica High School. He says he knew he wanted to be a band director in the 6th grade because he had a very inspiring middle school and high school band director. A student described Brown's class as a "place of healing" and a "place to belong without fear of judgement."
High 5 for Teachers: Chandra Westafer
As the recipient of a life-saving transplant, Lumpkin High School's Chandra Westafer knows how important science can be. Every day she works to pass on that love of science to the students she teaches.
High 5 for Teachers: Elisha Jones
Elisha Jones is the band director at Forest Park High School and, once upon a time, a tenor saxophone player in the same room he now teaches in.
High 5 for Teachers: Robert Brown
Robert Brown has taught agriculture science at Warren Technical School in DeKalb County for 39 years.
High 5 for Teachers: Davida Shepherd
Davida Shepherd is a special education teacher at White County High School and is always finding new ways to help her students reach their goals.
High 5 for Teachers: Kathleen Petka
For 19 years, Kathleen Petka has been inspiring her art students at Walton High School in Cobb County to use their artistic gifts for good.
High 5 for Teachers: Ken Austin
Tri-Cities High School special education teacher Ken Austin's believes he and his students are a team and his goal is to make sure every player shines.
High 5 for Teachers: Janet Brown
When a massive tornado ripped through Newnan, high school math teacher and coach Janet Brown took action and helped her students recover from the shock. She's spent the year reaching out to those around her and helping them in any way she can.