CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Teachers are the glue of society, educating our children and ensuring they learn complicated subjects while encouraging them to become critical thinkers.
Heartbreakingly, they are often underappreciated. And after the difficulties the COVID-19 pandemic presented for our educators, there's no time like now to cheer on our teachers.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which is the second-largest school district in North Carolina, wants to show its best and brightest teachers they are making a difference in the community.
On the evening of Tuesday, May 7, CMS hosted its second-ever Gem Awards. The school district highlighted the following teachers and teacher assistants in order to demonstrate how important their work is. Elizabeth Canute of Tuckaseegee Elementary School was awarded Teacher of the Year. Keecha Finley of University Meadows Elementary School was awarded Teacher Assistant of the Year.
Here were the teachers of the year:
Stephanie Arem
McKee Road Elementary School
Stephanie Arem is an art teacher and head of the Visual Arts department for K-5 and self-contained extensions classes at McKee Road Elementary School in the South Learning Community. She earned a bachelor’s degree in art education (K-12) with a photography concentration and art history minor from the University of Florida.
Dr. Keith Burgess
Northridge Middle School
Keith Burgess, Ph.D., is an eighth-grade science and Expanded Impact 2 teacher at Northridge Middle School in the Southeast Learning Community. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Johnson C. Smith University and a master’s certificate in education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte). Dr. Burgess also earned a master’s degree in teaching (science) and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction (urban education) from UNC Charlotte.
Elizabeth Canute
Tuckaseegee Elementary School
Elizabeth Canute is a third-grade teacher at Tuckaseegee Elementary School in the Northwest Learning Community. She has taught at Tuckaseegee for 28 years, covering all subjects at multiple grade levels. Canute earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education (early childhood specialization) from the University of Iowa and is a National Board Certified Teacher (Early Childhood Generalist).
Leslie Cosentine
Charlotte Engineering Early College
Leslie Cosentine is a ninth-grade Career and Technical Education teacher at Charlotte Engineering Early College in the Northeast Learning Community. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Wake Forest University and has a Teaching Middle Grades Science Certificate from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Prior to working at Charlotte Engineering Early College, Cosentine taught sixth, seventh and eighth grade math and science at J.M. Alexander Middle School.
Stephanie Croker
North Academy of World Languages
Stephanie Croker is a first-grade French immersion teacher at North Academy of World Languages in the North Learning Community. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a minor in music from Hiram College. Croker is a National Board Certified Teacher in World Languages (French)/Early Middle Childhood and earned her certification in 2002.
Marlette Gaither
Marie G. Davis School
Marlette Gaither is a third-grade teacher at Marie G. Davis School in the Central Learning Community. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in professional writing from Francis Marion University and a master’s degree in early childhood education from Ashford University.
Meredith Sumrell
Quail Hollow Middle School
Meredith Sumrell is an English Language Arts teacher and Expanded Impact Teacher 2 at Quail Hollow Middle School in the Southwest Learning Community. She has been teaching in North Carolina since 2015. Sumrell earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in teaching from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Danah Wilson
Northwest School of the Arts
Danah Wilson is a seventh-grade math teacher at Northwest School of the Arts in the West Learning Community and has been there since 2014. She is a National Board Certified Teacher and has worked in public education for 20 years. Wilson earned a bachelor’s degree in middle grades education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Wingate University.
Alexa Woodburn
J.T. Williams Secondary Montessori School
Alexa Woodburn is a middle-school Math 1 and seventh and eighth grade Montessori teacher at J.T. Williams Secondary Montessori School in the East Learning Community. She earned a bachelor’s degree in middle childhood education with concentrations in math and science from Bowling Green State University and a Secondary I-II Credential from the American Montessori Society (AMS). Woodburn is a graduate of the Cincinnati Montessori Secondary Teacher Education Program at AMS and earned a master’s degree in Montessori education from Xavier University.
Here were the teacher assistants of the year:
William Crawford
Jay M. Robinson Middle School
William Crawford is a teacher assistant at Jay M. Robinson Middle School in the South Learning Community. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Vanderbilt University. Prior to joining Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Crawford retired from a career as an engineer and worked as a substitute and interim teacher at Charlotte Christian School, where he taught high school algebra and statistics.
Lynne DiMarco
Croft Community School
Lynne DiMarco is a teacher assistant at Croft Community School in the North Learning Community. She earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental health science from Indiana State University. Prior to joining Croft in 2018, DiMarco served as a teacher assistant at Mallard Creek Elementary School from 2007-18.
Keecha Finley
University Meadows Elementary School
Keecha Finley is a teacher assistant at University Meadows Elementary School in the Northeast Learning Community. Finley is a graduate of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and attended Newell Elementary, Oakdale Elementary, J.T. Williams Secondary Montessori School and Harding University High School. Finley is currently studying early childhood education at the University of Phoenix and has been at University Meadows for 12 years.
Teresa Karam
Thomasboro Academy
Teresa Karam is a teacher assistant at Thomasboro Academy in the West Learning Community where she has served since 2021, supporting fourth and fifth grade teachers. Previously, she was a middle school science teacher with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and a small-business owner. She earned a bachelor’s degree in textile management from North Carolina State University and a bachelor’s degree in middle grades education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Ebonee McCain
Winget Park Elementary School
Ebonee McCain is a teacher assistant at Winget Park Elementary School in the Southwest Learning Community and has been with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools since 2016. McCain has credentials in early childhood and general education. She currently works with second graders and also started a cheerleading team at Winget Park in the 2023-24 school year.
Michaiah Miller
Harding University High School
Michaiah Miller is an Exceptional Children teacher assistant at Harding University High School in the Northwest Learning Community. Miller earned an associate degree in applied science from Central Piedmont Community College. Miller is in his third year at Harding and serves as the head wrestling coach.
Eric Redman
Lawrence Orr Elementary School
Eric Redman is a teacher assistant at Lawrence Orr Elementary School in the Southeast Learning Community. He has been there since 2022 and currently works with the media coordinator. Prior to joining Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, he worked for more than 15 years in customer service. Redman earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Merissa Slachciak
Villa Heights Elementary School
Merissa Slachciak is an Exceptional Children teacher assistant at Villa Heights Elementary School in the East Learning Community. She earned an associate degree in early childhood education from Central Piedmont Community College. Slachciak is a graduate of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and attended Hopewell High School.
Anika Warmington
First Ward Creative Arts Academy
Anika Warmington is a K-3 teacher assistant at First Ward Creative Arts Academy in the Central Learning Community. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education (business studies) from the Mico University College in Kingston, Jamaica, and a master’s degree in business administration from Strayer University. Warmington was a business studies teacher for five years at St. Thomas Technical High School in Jamaica.
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