Vance County Schools honored its 2022 Educators of Excellence at an awards ceremony on Tuesday.
Edward Ortega, principal of STEM Early High School was named Principal of the Year; Launtia Dallas of Clarke Elementary was named Beginning Teacher of the Year; Anita Griffith of Zeb Vance Elementary was named Teacher of the Year and Donald Johnson of Aycock Elementary was named Assistant Principal of the Year.
The awards were presented at the district’s annual Excellence in Education banquet at the Henderson County Club. The banquet honored teachers, staff and administrators from across the district, representing their respective schools.
Griffith, music teacher at Zeb Vance Elementary, has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Piano Performance and Choral Conducting. She has taught at the elementary, secondary and university level.
“This is an amazing acknowledgement”, Griffith said. “I am humbled to be named VCS District Teacher of the Year. Our children are so important and I will try to always do my best for them.”
Donald Johnson III (VCS Assistant Principal of the Year), Edward Ortega (VCS Principal of the Year), Anita Griffith (VCS Teacher of the Year), and Launtia Dallas (VCS Beginning Teacher of the Year)
She is a phenomenal educator and in everything she does”, said Andrew Markcoch, the Director of Fine Arts and Innovation. First and foremost, she has built relationships with the students, and has built a culture in her room at Zeb Vance that is palatable.” Anybody that walks into her room will see that instantly. [She is] a wonderful representation of the kinds of things that we do in this district in the arts.”
Dallas, who teaches second grade at Clarke Elementary, said she is “excited, elated, honored and extremely grateful to Vance County Schools for this prestigious award.
I show up every day to educate my scholars as if they had my last name,” Dallas said in a press statement issued by VCS Director of Communications Aarika Sandlin. “My desire is to serve them to
the best of my ability so that they can serve our community. I am humbled by this recognition and I’m ready to allow this fresh fire to perpetuate as I believe that our scholars deserve teachers who believe that they can learn and will not be satisfied until they do.”
Johnson took top honors as assistant principal of the year. Currently at Aycock Elementary, he began his educational journey in Granville County as a teacher and assistant principal before joining Vance County Schools in 2021.
“I am truly humbled, honored, and blessed to serve the community that I am from. As a product of Vance County, I am fortunate to be able to serve alongside an amazing group of educators, children, and families that make up our community. As I reflect on the privilege of being named the Vance County Schools’ Assistant Principal of the Year, the word that immediately comes to mind is ‘thankful.’ I am thankful to serve on a dynamic team that is committed to serving children each day to ensure that all children are given the best opportunities to learn and grow. I am thankful to continue to serve the community that made me who I am today. I am so proud of each educator in our district that invests in our students and community – they are the true heroes.”
Edward Ortega, principal of STEM Early High, said he was honored and humbled to be named VCS principal of the year. “This is a recognition of the dedication and hard work poured in over the years to make sure our students receive the quality education they deserve. I did not reach this point on my own. Since I came from Colombia in 2004, I have been blessed with mentorship and friendship of amazing educators and leaders. I am truly thankful to each one of them for the guidance, support and affection expressed along the way. I am also fortunate to work for a school district and community committed to fostering academic excellence in the county’s children and youth. I will continue to be fully committed to my passion for teaching and learning in all its forms in a school district that has become an incredibly special place for me and my family. Again, thank you Vance County Schools for this recognition. It feels amazing to be the 2022 VCS Principal of the Year.”
Ortega began his career with Vance County Schools as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. He graduated from the Universidad del Atlántico in Colombia as a Modern Languages Teacher.
“It’s an honor to celebrate all of the educators in our district, especially those recognized by their peers as Teacher of the Year and Beginning Teacher of the Year”, said Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett. “It is also exciting to be part of recognizing members of our school leadership. Vance County Schools is very fortunate to have a group of dedicated and passionate teachers and leaders who recognize that the most important part of our job is serving our children.”
Griffith and Ortega will represent Vance County in the regional competition.