2025 South Carolina Top Five
Teacher of the Year Finalists
Each year South Carolina selects five finalists for State Teacher of the Year. These finalists are interviewed and videotaped as part of the final selection process. Their contributions are celebrated at the South Carolina Teacher of the Year Banquet. Honor Roll Teachers work closely with the SC Teacher of the Year to promote teacher leadership and advocacy throughout the year.
Ellen Weaver, the South Carolina Superintendent of Education, has announced the five finalists for the 2025 State Teacher of the Year. They are Blake Bishop from
Greenwood District 51, Will Epps from Richland District Two, Katie Farr from Spartanburg District Five, Bekah Hamrick from Cherokee County, and Braden Wilson from Anderson District One.
The five Honor Roll Teachers were selected from over 80 District Teachers of the Year and will each receive $10,000. Lesson observations and interviews in front of a panel of judges will help determine who will be named the 2025 SC Teacher of the Year. That announcement will take place on Thursday, April 25th in Columbia.
The winner will receive a total of $25,000 and a BMW to drive around the state as they serve a one-year residency at the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA). In this role, they will serve as an ambassador for the teaching profession and chair the state's Teacher Forum.
The 2025 winner follows the 2024 SC Teacher of the Year, Renee Atkinson, from the Horry County School District. Click here for more information about SC's Teacher of the Year program.
Greenwood District 51, Will Epps from Richland District Two, Katie Farr from Spartanburg District Five, Bekah Hamrick from Cherokee County, and Braden Wilson from Anderson District One.
The five Honor Roll Teachers were selected from over 80 District Teachers of the Year and will each receive $10,000. Lesson observations and interviews in front of a panel of judges will help determine who will be named the 2025 SC Teacher of the Year. That announcement will take place on Thursday, April 25th in Columbia.
The winner will receive a total of $25,000 and a BMW to drive around the state as they serve a one-year residency at the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA). In this role, they will serve as an ambassador for the teaching profession and chair the state's Teacher Forum.
The 2025 winner follows the 2024 SC Teacher of the Year, Renee Atkinson, from the Horry County School District. Click here for more information about SC's Teacher of the Year program.