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LCPS teacher Jessica Jones named NCAT CTE finalist; district honors several staff
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Summary
Lenoir County Public Schools recognized multiple teachers and staff on Oct. 6, highlighting Jessica Jones, named a finalist for the NCAT 2026 Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year; the district also honored beginning and exceptional-children teachers and celebrated a student who is a U.S. Presidential Scholar.
Lenoir County Public Schools on Oct. 6 honored a string of educators and staff, naming Jessica Jones — an agriculture education teacher at Whittington Middle School — a finalist for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCAT) 2026 Burroughs Welcome Fund Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year.
Jones told the board the outdoor classroom project began as a partnership with Emergency Management Services and a North Carolina State University design student to repurpose flood buyout land; a North Carolina Aquarium Scholars grant and a $3,000 Living to Serve award will support the work and allow neighboring counties to use the outdoor classroom for hands-on environmental instruction. “The outdoor classroom was something that was brought to me by Emergency Management Services 2 or 3 years ago… the grant this year is gonna help us get that started so that schools not only in Lenoir County, but surrounding counties can go out and use that unfounder classroom for wildlife, forestry, soils, environmental issues,” Jones said.
Doctor Brock Womble of NCAT noted Jones will participate in a week of professional development with other finalists in December, including interviews and portfolio review; NCAT will celebrate finalists and announce the winner on Dec. 4 at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. “This recognition highlights Miss Jones’ exceptional contribution to CTE instruction and her remarkable impact on the students and community here in Lenoir County,” Womble said.
The board also recognized other staff: Lillian Hartsell was named the district’s Beginning Teacher of the Year; Emily Peterson was honored as Exceptional Children’s professional of the year at Kinston High School; and Andrea Williams was named Exceptional Children’s teacher assistant of the year. Hartsell said she felt “humbled and honored” by the recognition, and Peterson told the board she was “very, very grateful” for colleagues and students who have kept her in the classroom.
Superintendent Williams additionally reported that an LCPS student was named a U.S. Presidential Scholar — one of three in the state and one of 161 nationally — and that the district recently hosted the state superintendent and highlighted district achievements including Apple Distinguished Schools and STEM recognitions.
The board’s recognitions were presented during the regular monthly meeting; most awardees received certificates and brief remarks. The district said it will formally celebrate finalists and other honorees at upcoming events.
The meeting moved on after the recognitions to program presentations and the business agenda.
