Celebrating over 30 county educators, Crystal McDowell was selected as the 2024 Columbia County Teacher of the Year at a banquet Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Augusta’s Savannah Rapids Pavilion.
The Greenbrier High School science teacher grinned from ear to ear as she made her way up to the stage to accept her award from district board members.
“Oh my goodness, I was just unbelievably amazed,” said McDowell. “[Students] are what this is all about, and this is why we do what we do, and to have this honor amongst so many amazing educators is just unbelievable.”
Announced by Associate Superintendent Penny Jackson and Assistant Superintendent Kelly’s Bosch, McDowell will move on to compete for the state’s Teacher of the Year in February 2024.
MORE: Columbia County Teacher of the Year finalist: Crystal McDowell
“Someone that I admire a lot once said that you’re not entirely whole until you’re actually a part of something bigger than yourself, and I think that is what education is,” said McDowell. “I think that is what the Columbia County School District is.”
As the Lakeside High School jazz band played, awards were given to all the district’s school Teachers of the Year and words of congratulations were offered by Board of Education Chairman David Dekle earlier in the ceremony.
“Your colleagues and your school saw something worthy in you of recognition,” he said. “Whatever it was, you are certainly worthy and deserving of recognition this evening … all of you are our heroes. Without teachers like you, the Columbia County School District would not be what it is today.”
Prior to announcing the winner, the top five teacher finalists of the year were all honored at the event with presentational videos that featured students from each respective school.
“She’s a rockstar at every level and our school, our district, is just so happy for her, because if you work behind the scenes with her then you know that she is the real deal,” said McDowell’s school principal, Chip Fulmer, with joyful tears in his eyes. “She doesn’t let curriculum get in her way. She takes it and runs with it, and the resources she pulls into her classroom just inspires high school students and that’s hard to do these days.”
At the banquet, many people spoke to show their appreciation including Columbia County’s School Superintendent Steven Flynt, who congratulated all teacher finalists and thanked all educators for making a difference in their students’ lives.
“We see how much teachers add to students’ lives and, as we say in our vision, the students need to be engaged, enriched and inspired to do something,” he said. “If we can keep a focus on that then we really can change the world.”
Following Flynt and a few others highlighted speakers, the district’s 2023 Teacher of the Year, Ameesha Butler, shared a speech about how passionate teaching can transform lives, and the honor of passing on the torch to another deserving educator.
“Teaching is not just a job. It’s a vocation, a calling and a noble endeavor that shapes the destinies of nations and individual lives,” she said. “This banquet is such a momentous occasion and you just need to take a second to pause and recognize the profound impact that you all have on the lives of countless students in our district … you are some of the hardest working and most dedicated educators in the field.”
Afterwards, Flynt offered his advice to McDowell and how she should approach the next year as the district’s Teacher of the Year.
“If you can change one student and get them where they want to be in life, help with their family and work together with the community, it impacts not only that individual but our entire community,” he said. “Continue to give back to the profession and advocate for public education, and show what’s so great about this school district and public education in general.”
The award and title included several prizes, the best of which included a donated one-year car lease with a 2023 BMW X1 series SUV from Taylor BMW. In addition to being gifted with a $1,000 gas voucher and a year-long contract for free car insurance, the vehicle was topped with a giant pink bow in honor of October being breast cancer awareness month.
Adapting to the “new car smell,” McDowell ended the night with a honk of her new vehicle and a wide, smiling face, already enjoying the honor of being the school district’s new Teacher of the Year.
“I am just thrilled to represent this amazing district and to represent all these amazing educators,” she said. “It is just a privilege and there’s just not enough words to describe what it means … it is just an unbelievable feeling right now to be able to represent this wonderful system that supports our students, our families and our community.”
