May 21, 2003 -- Three outstanding teachers were inducted in Jacksonville State University's annual state Teacher Hall of Fame during an awards program on May 19.

The winners are:

Elementary Division: Aleisha D. Blevins, who teaches 5th grade English/writing at Kitty Stone Elementary, Jacksonville City Schools. She holds both the B.S. in education and M. S. in education from Jacksonville State University.

Middle School Division: Carol Lollar, who teaches 6th grade Science at Robert F. Bumpus Middle School, Hoover City Schools. She earned a B. S. in elementary education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the M. S. in elementary education from the University of Montevallo.

Secondary School Division: Yvonne R. Matthews, who teaches 9-12 Chorus and Piano Labs at John L. LeFlore School of Communication and Arts, Mobile County Public School System. She holds a bachelor's in music and a master's in education, both from the University of South Alabama.

These inductees received certificates and will have their names inscribed on the Hall of Fame plaque, which is to be displayed in the lobby of the Houston Cole Library on the JSU Campus.

JSU President Houston Cole established the JSU Teacher Hall of Fame in 1969 to honor outstanding public classroom teachers. Sixty-nine previous winners have been inducted into the state's oldest teacher recognition program.

Each public school system in the state is asked to nominate one elementary teacher, one middle-level teacher, and one secondary teacher each year to be considered for the award. These nominees are selected in accordance with certain criteria. One criterion is that the nominee must be currently teaching subject matter to students fifty percent or more of each school day. No preference is given to nominees who may have attended Jacksonville State University. An impartial Selection Committee chooses the recipients of this award after a personal interview and the selection is made by secret ballot.

Nomination, support letters, etc., concerning each nominee shall be limited to: executed nominee form signed by the superintendent, letter of recommendation from principal of school where nominee is teaching, letters from two colleagues, letters from two former students of nominee, a current resume or vita, and a philosophy of education.

The following are the remaining finalists who were also nominated for the award:

Elementary Division

• James C. Burton, Deer Valley Elementary, Hoover City Schools
• Anna Fowler, Oneonta Elementary School, Oneonta City Schools
• Rebecca B. McKay, Stemley Road and Sycamore Elementary, Talladega County
• Hayley Watts, Chelsea Elementary, Shelby County School System

• Linda L. Baker, Project Success, Lowndes County Schools
• Lorrie Cooper, Oxford Middle School, Oxford City Schools
• Dr. Lawanna M. Sharpless, Elberta Middle School, Baldwin County Board of Education
• Mamie H. Wahl, Pleasant Home School, Covington County Schools

• Kay S. Gonzales, Huntsville High School, Huntsville City Schools
• Sondra Oswalt, Oxford High School, Oxford City Schools
• Connie C. Shaw, Thompson High School, Shelby County Schools
• Amy Taylor, West End High School, Etowah County School System