The UT Martin WestStar Leadership Program’s seventh WestTeach class has been chosen, with a record 28 people taking part in this year’s class.
They will meet for the first of five sessions Aug. 28-29 at the University of Tennessee at Martin. The remaining sessions will be held Sept. 24 in Jackson, Oct. 29 in Dyersburg and Nov. 12 in Brownsville. Graduation is scheduled for Dec. 16 at UT Martin.
WestTeach was created as a class project by the 2017 WestStar Leadership class to support teacher development. A new class is selected annually by the program’s advisory committee following teacher nominations by school superintendents and directors.
West Tennessee teachers selected for the program learn about the region’s economic needs and opportunities. Each class also meets with regional industry and community leaders to learn more about what students might experience outside of the classroom both in the workplace and beyond. WestTeach graduates have totaled 112 teachers since the program began.
The 28 members of the 2025 class and their schools are Bryce Agee, Milan High School, Milan; Kathryn Arnold, Spring Hill School, Eaton; Leslie Booker, Milan Middle School, Milan; Kavin Carr, Dyersburg High School, Dyersburg; Alex Cochran, Bradford Special School, Bradford; Tracey Conrad, Drummonds Elementary School, Drummonds; Sunni Cooksey, Westview High School, Martin; Laura Dyer, Lexington Middle School, Lexington; Cassie Elliott, Middleton Elementary School, Middleton; Lilah Hall-Norell, Jackson Central-Merry Early College High School, Jackson; Michelle Huffstutter, Union City High School, Union City; Hailey Johnson, Fifth Consolidated Elementary School, Dyersburg; Stacy Jones, McNairy Central High School, Selmer; Crystal Lock, Finley Elementary School, Finley; Kendra Lownsdale, Obion County Central High School; Troy; Libby Lynch, Humboldt Junior and Senior High School, Humboldt; Toshia Mancini, South Side High School, Jackson; Bailey McAlister, Haywood Elementary School, Brownsville; Alivia McDowell, Gleason School, Gleason; Beth Anne Overholt, Dresden High School, Dresden; Patrick Smith, Brighton High School, Brighton; Jenny Vego, Tipton Rosemark Academy, Millington; Lauren Wallis, Chester County Junior High School, Henderson; Cody Williams, Dyer County High School, Newbern; Summer Willis, Covington High School, Covington; and Courtney York, East Side Elementary School, Brownsville.
The Leaders Education Foundation is the program’s signature sponsor. Other WestTeach sponsors include ATA CPAs – Advisors; Yvette Blue, The Acceleration Coach, LLC; SIC Project Management; Tennessee District of the TRANE Company; Cary and Lalania Vaughn of Millington; the Community Foundation of West Tennessee; and Dr. Cheryl Browne. Learn more about WestTeach at www.utm.edu/westteach or by calling 731-881-7298.
PHOTO: The WestTeach Class of 2025 will have 28 people taking part in the teacher-development program, the most for a single class. The program is a product of the WestStar Leadership Program at UT Martin, and this year marks the seventh WestTeach class. Shown are the plaques presented to the members of last year’s WestTeach class.
