Congratulations to the exceptional Kentucky educators honored as part of the KET All Stars class of 2024!
Annie Adams, instructor, Boyd County Adult Education, KEDC
An instructor for nine years, Adams enjoys working with English language learners and those looking to improve their math, science, social studies and reasoning skills so they can advance in their careers and provide a better life for their families.
Carrie Altmaier, parent educator, Parents as Teachers, Pulaski County Schools
A preschool teacher of more than 30 years and parent educator for 25 years, Altmaier frequently conducts home visits with families with new children, answering questions about early childhood development and connecting them with community and KET resources.
Beth Atkins, media librarian, LeGrande Elementary School, Hart County Public Schools
A Hart County teacher since 2008, Atkins is president-elect for Southern Kentucky Association of School Librarians and currently serves as chair for The Kentucky Bluegrass Award.
Marc Blunk, digital learning coach and school technology coordinator, Booker T. Washington Elementary, Fayette County Public Schools
A former elementary school teacher in Fayette County, Blunk now leads his school’s technology department, teaching students in the classroom and helping the staff make effective use of technology with their students.
Pamela Buchanan, director of adult education, Henderson Community College, Henderson
An educator with Henderson Community College for more than 24 years, Buchanan recently was named director of the college’s adult education program.
Melanie Callahan, musical theatre teacher, Laurel County Public School District
Honored as the 2020 KDE Elementary School Teacher of the Year and the 2022 KCTE Middle School Teacher of the Year. She is councilwoman for the Kentucky Department of Education’s Teacher Advisory Council and has previously served as a member of the Kentucky Educational Professional Standards Board.
Dr. David Childs, director of Black Studies & associate professor of social studies education and history at Northern Kentucky University
The first African American in the College of Education to earn tenure at NKU, Dr. Childs taps into his expertise in a wide variety of subjects – including African American history, popular culture, theology and multicultural education – when engaging with students. A prolific writer and author, Dr. Childs has published several books and more than 200 articles in leading academic journals and blogs.
Dion Copeland, social studies teacher, Leestown Middle School, Fayette County Public Schools
Serving as his school’s social studies department chair and DEIB Lead, Copeland is a recipient of the Fayette County Educators Association Teaching Excellence Award (2023), Kentucky Education Association Diversity Lesson Plan Award (2023), and the Earl C. Clements Innovation in Education Award (2023). Copeland is a candidate for National Board Certification as part of a pilot program for early career educators in Kentucky.
Tiffany Crook, first grade teacher, Waynesburg Elementary School, Lincoln County
An educator for seven years, Crook is a proponent of lifelong learning who looks for fun and engaging ways to enrich the lives of her students. Crook earned a Masters in elementary education from the University of the Cumberlands. She currently is pursuing her National Board Certification.
Kyri Demby, K-5 music and art teacher, Jacob Elementary School, Jefferson County Public Schools
An educator for more than 20 years devoted to helping people change their lives through music and learning, Demby also is a children’s writer, publishing more than a half-dozen books since 2007, including Simon the Self Control Seal and Taylor the Truth Telling Tiger.
Dr. J.T. Elliott, special education teacher, Waco Elementary School, Madison County Public Schools
An advocate for vocational entrepreneurship in education, Dr. Elliott said his work focuses on closing the skills gap to help students prepare for their career. In addition to his classroom work at Waco Elementary, Dr. Elliott also serves as an adjunct professor at Eastern Kentucky University and Liberty University.
Alison Hoskins, preschool teacher, Head Start, Stinnett Elementary School, Leslie County
A Head Start educator for five years, Hoskins said she enjoys the relationships she builds with her students and their families. She is currently pursuing her Bachelors in interdisciplinary early childhood education at University of the Cumberlands.
Tim Jones, library media specialist with John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Louisville
Working in the library field for 17 years, Jones has made media literacy the cornerstone of his work, for which he earned the National K-12 Media Literacy Teacher of the Year Award by the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) in 2023 and the Kentucky School Librarian of the Year by the Kentucky Association of School Librarians (KASL) in 2022. He has published articles in the magazine Booklist and the journal Kentucky Libraries.
Dagmar Morales, programmer, Kenton County Public Library, Independence Branch
A native of Puerto Rico who made a career change into the library world in 2017, Morales was nationally honored as a 2023 PBS KIDS Early Learning Champion. Morales frequently sponsors family learning programs at the library, including Spanish Storytime sessions, tailored for Spanish-speaking families, and the Memory Café, a social engagement program sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association aimed at those living with Alzheimer’s or dementia and their caregivers.
Sheri Muehleman, gifted teacher, Murray Independent Schools
A veteran teacher for 29 years, Muehleman loves to challenge her students to make them better citizens of the world and to cultivate habits of lifelong learning. She is involved with her school’s Science Bowl, STLP and other student organizations designed to expand their educational horizons.
Lisa Newell-Hare, third grade teacher, Adair County Elementary, Adair County Public School
A teacher for 13 years, Newell-Hare said she has a passion for educating and growing future leaders. She also serves on the teacher-leader network for third grade and as coach of the Academic Team for written assessments and quick recall. She has a Masters in Teachers Leader from Lindsey Wilson College and Rank I in school counseling from Campbellsville University.
Emily Northcutt, school librarian, Marnel C. Moorman School, Shelby County Public Schools
A Kentucky school librarian since 2001, Northcutt is a National Board Certified Teacher in Library Media and a frequent presenter at state-level library and EdTech conferences. She also has served as a Digital Literacy and School Library Consultant for the Kentucky Educational Development Corporation (KEDC). In 2023, Northcutt was named Outstanding Librarian of the Year by the Kentucky Association of School Librarians and also was presented with the Kentucky Library Association’s Excellence in Teaching award
Michelle Rauch, media arts teacher, Eastside Technical Center, Fayette County Public Schools
Bringing nearly two decades of professional experience as a TV news reporter to the classroom, Rauch teaches everything from videography to editing to digital storytelling at Eastside Technical Center, which draws students from Fayette, Woodford and Jessamine counties. She earned a Masters in career and technical education from Eastern Kentucky University.
Chris Tyson Renshaw, digital learning coach, Christian County School District
A member of the 2022 class of the PBS Digital Innovator All-Star Program, Tyson Renshaw has been helping educators and students in Christian County schools harness the power of technology in the classroom for more than 25 years.
Dee Dee Webb, school media specialist, school technology coordinator and robotics coach, South Warren Middle School, Bowling Green
A former digital learning coach as well as a language arts and social studies teacher, Webb was honored as a PBS Digital Innovator in 2020. She is a Google Certified Trainer and Apple Teacher.
Kim Yates, English teacher, Pineville Independent School
A teacher for 14 years at middle school, high school and collegiate levels, Yates enjoys challenging her students to think beyond the classroom and develop the thinking, speaking, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills necessary to meet the challenges of the modern era.