LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Department of Education has announced the 14 educators named 2024 Arkansas Teacher of the Year Regional Finalists. These educators will be recognized on July 27 at an event at the Governor’s Mansion.
“Congratulations to these teachers for achieving this honor,” ADE Secretary Jacob Oliva said. “We are proud to recognize excellence in teaching and honor those selected for this recognition.”
DQTV Teacher and District Communications Director Beau McCastlain has been named one of the 14 regional finalists. “I want to say a very sincere thank you to our Leopard Family for making this opportunity possible,” said McCastlain. “ I am extremely honored to be named one of the 14 finalists for Arkansas Teacher of the Year, but my students are the ones who have made this possible. DQTV has developed into a great success because of their engagement, commitment, and hard work. We have amazing kids and I am blessed to be in a position that allows me to work with them each day. ”
The regional finalists will each receive a certificate and a $1,000 prize provided by the Walton Family Foundation. The event at the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock will include a brunch, a ceremony honoring the 14 finalists, and the announcement of four 2024 Arkansas Teacher of the Year Semi-Finalist, and one will be named the 2024 Arkansas Teacher of the Year this fall.
The Arkansas Teacher of the Year program participates in the National Teacher of the Year program and recognizes teachers for their outstanding teaching and leadership skills. To learn more about the program, visit https://bit.ly/3hJwC0g.
Below is the complete list of the fourteen 2024 Arkansas Teacher of the Year Regional Finalists:
Jacquelyn Briggs Pre-Kindergarten Walker Pre-K Magnolia School District South Central Service Cooperative
Jazmin Carranza Algebra I, Grades 8-9 Southwest Junior High School Springdale School District Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative
Nicole Franklin English Language Arts and Social Studies, Grades 4-5 Orr Elementary School Fort Smith School District Guy Fenter Education Service Cooperative
Candice Groves French I-IV and Journalism, Grades 9-12 Blytheville High School Blytheville School District Crowley’s Ridge Educational Service Cooperative
Elizabeth Hill Biology and AP Biology, Grades 10-12 DeWitt High School DeWitt School District Southeast Arkansas Education Service Cooperative
Kyler Hybeck English, Grade 10 Academies of West Memphis West Memphis School District Great Rivers Education Service Cooperative
Jeremy Kennedy AP English Language and Composition, Grade 11 Greenbrier High School Greenbrier School District Arch Ford Education Service Cooperative
Julie Landrum Math and Science, Grades 9-12 Stuttgart High School Stuttgart School District Arkansas River Education Service Cooperative
Ben Light Music, Grades 6-12 Joe T. Robinson High School Pulaski County Special School District Pulaski County
Beau McCastlain Career and Technical Education – Television Production, Grades 10-12 De Queen High School De Queen School District De Queen-Mena Education Service Cooperative
Kashandra Murphy Literacy, Grade 5 Harmony Leadership Academy Texarkana Arkansas School District Southwest Arkansas Education Cooperative
Kassadi Seidenschnur Library Media, Grades K-5 Hurricane Creek Elementary School Bryant School District Dawson Education Service Cooperative
David Ward Alternative Education, Grades 2-5 Cedar Ridge Elementary School Cedar Ridge School District Northcentral Arkansas Education Service Cooperative
Mandy Wolff Family and Consumer Sciences, Grades 10-12 Beebe High School Beebe School District Wilbur D. Mills Education Service Cooperative