Lee Trawick
On Thursday, Jan. 26, the Suwannee Education Foundation held its annual Teacher of the Year and School Related Employee of the Year (TOY/SREOY) Banquet at the Suwannee County Coliseum in Live Oak. There, teachers, administrators and school employees joined together for a dinner catered by the Suwannee High School culinary arts class. The event was led by reigning Suwannee County TOY Kary Black. As everyone gathered together, each school throughout the county was represented by the district's TOYs and SCREOYs.
During the banquet, Inez Williams, who is part of the Transportation Department, was named the 2024 District SREOY. Transportation Director Jimmy Wilkerson said. "Mrs. Inez plays a vital role that contributes to the success of the transportation department. She is most deserving of this honor, and I am very happy to have her on our team."
Then, as Black took to the podium, anticipation built, as so many teachers were deserving of the District TOY title. With pride, Black passed along the title of 2024 District TOY to Emily Murphy, a kindergarten teacher of Suwannee Springcrest Elementary. "I'm humbled and honored to have been awarded District Teacher of the Year for Suwannee County. I believe our schools are the best choice for high-quality education. I'm excited to share our greatness with the rest of the state,” Murphy said. “It is a pleasure to work alongside so many wonderful educators every day. I'm thankful for the opportunity to represent teachers across the district."
Jennifer Beach and Stephanie Bush were also honored by being named as the Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year. Beach she is the principal of Suwannee Springcrest Elementary, and Bush. Suwannee Springcrest Elementary's Assistant Principal.