Morrow, a marketing teacher at Alcovy High School, was honored at the district’s annual Teacher of the Year Celebration on Wednesday. She was recognized alongside other school-level teachers of the year, each representing one of the 23 schools at NCS..
This was the final step in what’s been a months-long process to determine the school system’s top teacher.
The school-level teachers of the year were announced on Aug. 5. The three finalists for the district honor — Morrow, Dr. Catrina Pollard from Eastside High School and Ms. Kamara Whitening from Veterans Memorial Middle School — were revealed with surprise classroom visits on Aug. 29.
On Wednesday night, the anticipation came to a head when Morrow was granted the supreme achievement of being named NCS 2026 Teacher of the Year.
In the days before the ceremony, each finalist was given the opportunity to describe what teaching at NCS means to them and how they work to make a difference for their students. During the ceremony, videos of the interviews were shown, giving the audience a look at what drives the educators.
“When my students walk into my classroom each day, my hope for them is most importantly that they feel safe, they feel seen and they feel heard knowing that Dr. Morrow truly cares about them,” Morrow said.
Morrow has taught marketing at Alcovy High School since July 2022. She previously taught in NCS from 2007-17 at Newton High School before spending 2017-22 at Luella High School in Henry County.
Sharing how meaningful it is to have made an impact at Alcovy High School in just a few years, Morrow described the nomination and recognition as “humbling.”
“It’s just so humbling to know that my peers, my colleagues, my students think so highly of me in just my short time that I’ve been here, that my work is speaking for itself,” Morrow said. “So it’s truly humbling.”
Morrow’s educational background stems from her 11th-grade business teacher, Mrs. Marshall, who she says inspired her to pursue teaching.
With a goal in mind, Morrow went on to study business management at Albany State University. After earning her bachelor’s degree in 2005, she completed a Master of Science at Troy University the following year. In 2019, Morrow earned her Doctor of Business Administration in Business Management at Walden University.
Last year’s NCS Teacher of the Year Taylor Moody also offered words of advice for her successor.
“This recognition is both a gift and a responsibility,” Moody said. “To lift up our students, to celebrate our teachers and to tell the story of Newton County with pride. Step into it with confidence. Your voice matters, and you are going to represent us well.”
In addition to the recognition, the honor does not come without prizes from the evening’s sponsors. Morrow was awarded $1,000 cash and a crystal award from the Newton County Chamber of Commerce, as well as a free three-month Ford Bronco rental from Covington Ford.
Furthermore, the district’s teacher of the year will represent NCS in the Georgia Teacher of the Year Program.
Superintendent Dr. Duke Bradley III closed the ceremony by emphasizing that the evening was more than a competition — it was a celebration of the exceptional educators that NCS is brimming with.
“To all of our teachers of the year: Your dedication, your passion, your hard work has made a lasting impact on your school communities and the students that you serve each and every day,” Bradley said. “You are truly the heart of our schools, and we cannot thank you enough for the incredible work that you do.”
In her acceptance remarks, Morrow took a moment to share her gratitude and highlight what teaching means to her.
“Being a teacher, it has allowed me to find my passion that has drove me to my purpose in life,” Morrow said in her acceptance remarks. “So I am so grateful for this moment. Thank you so much, and I am truly honored to be the Teacher of the Year to represent Newton County Schools.”
Photo gallery by Emily LaMontagne | The Covington News
