Sevier County Bank, Park Vista Resort Hotel, and Wonderworks hosted the Fourteenth Annual Teacher of the Year Banquet and Ceremonies on April 29th at the Park Vista Hotel in Gatlinburg. The annual Banquet recognizes and honors teachers voted by their peers as those who have displayed exemplary work in educating Sevier County’s students. From this select group, a panel chose three teachers as system-wide representatives for Kindergarten through Fourth Grade – Pam Thomas from Pigeon Forge Primary; Fifth through Eighth Grade – Betsy Elliott from Boyds Creek Elementary, and Ninth through Twelfth grades – Kristy Wallen from Seymour High.

Sevier County winners are then eligible to compete all the way up to National Teachers of the Year.  Pam Thomas and Betsy Elliott have already won at the regional level and are now competing for the Tennessee Teacher of the Year in their categories.

A top student from each of the four public high schools spoke during the banquet.

Laura Davis from Pigeon Forge High; Hailey Dixon from Seymour High; Tyler Jenkins from Gatlinburg-Pittman High; and Andy Molloy from Sevier County High, all gave personal and reflective insights into how important good teachers have been to them.

Michael King, a 2001 Sevier County High Valedictorian also spoke at the banquet. He participated in the first group of valedictorians asked to speak at the Teacher of the Year Banquet in 2001. He has since earned his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Accounting in 2005 and will receive his Masters of Accountancy from UT-Knoxville this year. He currently is employed by Sevier County Bank and after graduation will work with Ernst & Young in either Atlanta or Nashville.

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