JACKSON – Northampton County celebrated excellence in teaching here Tuesday night.

The county school board recognized the Teacher of the Year from nine schools throughout the district and then announced the Northampton County Schools Teacher of the Year.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Elie Bracy announced the winner, which was April DeBerry, a seventh grade social studies teacher at Conway Middle School.

DeBerry is a graduate of Meredith College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. She has taught at Conway Middle since 2001.

&uot;I always thought I would become a teacher,&uot; DeBerry said in her biography. &uot;As a little girl, I would pretend. Although, as I went through middle and high school I toyed with the idea of becoming an accountant or someone in the business field.

&uot;It was not until college that I seriously thought about a career and really searched for my true passion, which turned out to be education,&uot; she said.

DeBerry’s principal, Pamela Chamblee, said the teacher was a leader and provided excellent teaching to students.

&uot;Mrs. DeBerry exhibits leadership in the classroom through interesting, authentic learning activities and projects,&uot; Chamblee wrote in her endorsement. &uot;Students are treated humanely and with respect and reciprocate that same level of standards back to their teacher.

&uot;It is my belief that Mrs. DeBerry has the ability to promote the teaching profession as a viable profession, which is making great leaps in educating our students,&uot; she added.

The first-runner up for Teacher of the Year was Ruth Wentzy of Garysburg Elementary School. Wentzy is a 14-year veteran second grade teacher with a degree from South Dakota State University. She has a graduate degree from the University of Central Florida.

Other school-level teachers of the year included:

* Mark Barfield, Northampton County High School – East, is an 11-year veteran educator who teaches English and graduated from Elizabeth City State University;

* Doris Bowman, Gaston Middle School, is a 14-year veteran Language Arts teacher with a degree from Saint Paul’s College;

* Enetra Williams-Eley, Rich Square-Creecy Elementary School, is a seven-year veteran first-grade teacher who graduated from Elizabeth City State University;

* Pamela Joyner, Squire Elementary School, is a sixth-grade teacher with 10 years experience who graduated from North Carolina Central University;

* Demetra Lassiter, Jackson-Eastside Elementary School, is a fifth grade teacher with five years experience with a degree from Elizabeth City State University;

* Jessica Matte, Northampton County High School – West, is a six-year veteran Spanish teacher with a degree from Universidad de Tarapaca in Africa;

* Teresa Flythe-Warren, Willis Hare Elementary School, is a 23-year veteran Kindergarten teacher with National Board Certification. She graduated from East Carolina University.